She'll be Apples
by wherefore-suchas
Summary: Takes place after the end of "Envie." In which St. John infiltrates the Friends of Humanity, Rogue explores another option and Remy deals with feeling useless.
1. i

**She'll be Apples**  
_(Australian slang: it'll be all right)_   
  


**the obligatory (short) author's note:** _ After a struggle with an undending piece of original fiction and a foray into Smallville fic, I'm back on Evo. Because (apparantly) it's like my drug of choice these days. Narcissistic as it may be, I enjoyed playing in the little universe I created in the last story arc so much that I decided to revisit it._

If you haven't read my other stories, don't despair! Only know that this is AU. St. John, Rogue and Remy have (amicably) distanced themselves from the rest of the x-men and are on the trail of the Friends of Humanity. If you have read my other stories, welcome!

I don't know yet if this will be another arc, or merely a tangent. We'll just have to wait and see. And finally, I've been a DC native for many a year and so some of the places mentioned in this story do exist, fictionalized of course.

*** * ***

John always picked sushi, an' so Wednesday night we went out for sushi. Ah'm not sure when it became a tradition with us. When we first got into town our energy had ta be focused on findin' jobs an' a place ta live. Then there was all th' stress o' cohabitation ta deal with. Ah think Remy's the most social outta all o' us, but even he gets funny when it comes ta personal space. One night when our tempers were all about ready ta burst, John swung open th' apartment door an' said, "Let's just go eat, right?"

It'd been sushi then too.

Th' restaurant was John's favorite: dim an' intimate with low tables. We each took a side, scramblin' a little over the pillows there ta make th' floor softer in case ya weren't used ta eatin' th' Japanese way. Didn't even bother ta read from th' menus anymore. Remy had th' California rolls, Ah had tuna an' John ordered some crazy eel thing that wouldn't even have been on th' menu anyway.

Once th' food came, Remy stared at his California roll like he was decidin' whether he hated it or not.

"It's not about t' get up an' walk away, mate," John offered helpfully, gesturin' with his chopsticks. He scooped up a piece of eel an' dropped it into his mouth, chewin' contemplatively.

"Dat's not de issue here," Remy protested.

John swallowed. "I know this isn't exactly your cuppa tea, but I like it." He dropped his eyes an' looked coyly at Remy through his lashes. "I know ya want t' keep me happy, darlin'." His voice was low an' seductive.

Ah laughed. That'd taken some gettin' used to at first -- John an' Remy'd been joke-flirtin' with each other for so long they didn't really know how ta interact any other way. Not that Ah was jealous, at least not in th' traditional way. John an' Remy's friendship was somethin' Ah'd never really be any part of. All Ah could do was stand on th' outside an' be glad that each o' them had such a good friend in th' other. An' they were both friends ta me too in any case.

"Uh oh," John said, catchin' sight o' my face, "we're neglecting our girlfriend. She's off in the never-never."

Ah shoved him. "Since when am Ah community property, smartass?"

John pretended ta pout. "That's not what ya said last night, shelia (girl)."

Remy held a mock-wounded hand against his forehead. "Y' could've at least told me, _cheré_!"

Ah looked back an' forth between 'em. "Ah swear, you two are nothin' but _children_ sometimes."

"Children with chopsticks!" John added gleefully. He picked up another piece of eel an' waved it in my face. "Mmm. Eat up!"

"No!" Ah laughed, swattin' at his hand. He lost his grip on th' eel an' it sailed through th' air, landin' square in Remy's tea.

"Cor!" John whistled. "What're the odds o' that, eh?"

"Friendly fire, _neh_?" Remy, considerably less skilled with th' chopsticks, retaliated by droppin' a gob o' wasabi in my Coke.

"Hey! It wasn't even _my_ eel that decided ta take a swim in your drink!"

"I wasn't aiming for _your_ Coke." He sounded so upset an' looked so damn disappointed that John an' Ah immediately collapsed into fits o' laughter. Remy scowled. "Some friends y' are t' be making light of de shortcomings of others."

John wiped his eyes. "Sorry, mate."

"Ya are?" Ah inquired.

"No," he admitted with a devilish grin. That set Remy off too. Felt good ta laugh. It was such a simple luxury. When we were done, we leaned against th' table. My stomach muscles ached pleasantly. "Let's blow this popsicle stand," John suggested.

Ah shuddered. "Your grasp o' American slang is completely horrifyin'." John shot me a pathetic 'what did Ah do?' look. "Ah don't think anyone's called anythin' a 'popsicle stand' since th' 50s at least."

Remy chuckled. "Makes him unique."

"Besides, I don't think either o' you is in much of a position t' criticize _my_ English, eh?"

Remy clicked his chopsticks, looked at his sushi an' then Ah'm pretty sure he decided against tossin' some o' his dinner at John's face.

*** * ***

Felt good t' be back in a southern direction again. Don't know if I would've ever gotten used t' de bitter cold in Massachusetts. Full of fish and rice, we went out into de mild DC night. Was de end of spring, moving on toward summer. After de grinding grey skies in April, we were glad t' be done wit' de month. Rogue moved light on her feet, de happiest I could ever remember seeing her. She was teasing John 'bout somet'ing, dancing around him, moving backwards, taunting. Sometimes she forgot dat we were supposed t' be keeping a low profile and she kicked off into de air, hovering a moment just a few inches over de ground. Only someone looking close from de outside would've noticed anyt'ing.

But dat's just what I was afraid of. Was about t' say somet'ing t' her when John put a hand out, touching her bicep lightly in warning. She dropped t' de ground and dey both fell back t' keep pace wit' me.

"Penny for 'em," John said.

Shrugged. "Not much dere."

"A penny's not much either," Rogue said gently. She slipped her hand t'rough de crook of my arm, linking us at de elbow. John did de same.

"We must look like somet'ing out of _De Wizard of Oz_," I complained mildly. John took a little skip forward in a passable imitation of Dorothy.

"Auntie Em! Auntie Em!" he wheedled, falsetto.

"Now Ah _know_ Ah'll have nightmares," Rogue murmured.

Kissed her cheek. "I was just t'inking 'bout how I could be more useful."

John snorted. "Don't be daft. Y' are useful, a damn sight more than me. We have t' make rent somehow."

An old argument, but somehow we always came back t' it because I couldn't help feeling useless. De new eye color marked me out sure as if it'd been a red letter "M." And when de time came for one of us t' infiltrate de Friends of Humanity's world headquarters, John was de only natural choice. Dat left me and Rogue t' supply funds best we could, although she'd anticipated me by forbidding me from stealing.

"D'you know how _coo-yon_ (stupid) dat is?" I'd asked her.

"Ah don't care," she'd insisted. "We're supposed ta be on th' good side. An' besides," she'd added, an intriguing gleam in her eye, "Ah want ya around nights." She'd slid her hands over my shoulders, coming in close.

"Can't fault de logic," I'd said, kissing her quickly under her jawline. "Just as long as y' know dat being a bike messenger is much more dangerous dan being a t'ief."

"An' pissin' me off is much more dangerous than either," she'd replied gently. So dat had decided it.

John broke de solemn mood dat had fallen over everyone by launching into his continually-evolving persona as a mutant hater. He yelled an' screamed, echoes of filthy words bouncing off de buildings. Rogue and I clapped when he was done. Wit' performances like dat, it was no surprise dat de FOH had snapped him up almost immediately.

"If Ah didn't know better, Ah'd think ya were actually serious," she whispered, dropping a wink. "D'ya have th' keys?" she asked me.

Dug in my pocket and came up wit' dem. Our apartment building was three story brick, a few blocks over into a bad neighborhood. It was what we could afford and no one looks too close at de people who live in those neighborhoods. In de six months we'd been dere, we'd never had a problem, but dat particular night was different.

"Someone's here," I said.

"What?" John demanded.

"Up dere." I pointed t' our window. "De curtains moved."

"Ah'll go." Rogue started from de ground, but I grabbed her wrist before she could get anywhere.

"Wait. What if dey're from de FOH? We don't want t' give John away."

John shuddered a little. "Really, really don't. I told ya what happened t' the last guy, right?" He made a twisting motion, moving his hands in opposite directions, and shuddered again.

"I'll go," I said.

"Like hell ya will."

"Oh for god's sake! We'll all go."

De steps had never seemed so long, or so loud. John stumbled once, but Rogue steadied him. De door was cracked open and a sliver of light pooled in de dark hallway. I looked at Rogue and John, took a deep breath and pushed open de door.

*** * ***


	2. ii

**author's disclaimer:** Not mine. Never will be. Money made from this = zero dollars.

At this point I am also apologizing in advance for any and all accents in this story. I've tried my best, given that all I have to go on is my own research. I've never been to New Orleans, Mississippi or Australia, nor have I had continual contact with people from those areas. However, I feel that even my poor attempts at writing accented speech lend a certain texture that I want in place, therefore I will keep doing it. Apologies again. Additionally, I'm apartment-hunting right now and so updates may be...sporadic.

*** * ***

A woman...girl, sittin' on th' edge o' th' couch. Whoever she was, she was either th' world's stupidest or most considerate intruder.

Or maybe not even an intruder after all. Ah heard John let out a little sigh.

"Anne," he said, wary. "What're you doing here?"

Ah turned ta Remy an' mouthed 'Anne?', but he only shrugged an' tossed himself into the nearest chair, crossin' an ankle over his knee an' lookin' between Anne an' John. Waitin' for the show ta start.

Anne glanced at us nervously. She was a sweet thing in a way, delicate, with wide eyes an' a narrow mouth, a pointed chin.

"I don't know what to do," she confessed, voice wobblin'. "You've always been nice to me."

Ah wondered briefly if she was fakin' it. Ah've run across too many girls in my life who aren't above usin' tears as a form o' misdirection. But Ah could see that John was still lookin' at her suspiciously an' Ah figured, lyin' or not, it was his call ta make. Ah was curious 'bout how he knew th' girl in th' first place.

John sat down next ta her gingerly and patted her shoulder like he was afraid she was gonna break. He shot Remy a 'help me' look, but Remy only smiled an' shook his head. "It...uh...can't be all bad, right?"

"But I've been hiding something terrible!" she protested, swingin' her head violently. Her light brown hair bounced above her shoulders.

Ah saw John swallow a smile. "What could possibly be so terrible, then?"

Anne looked at him sharply. "Don't laugh at me!"

John held up his hands in surrender. "I wouldn't."

"I'm a mutant," she said in a small voice. "See?" She stared at her hands for a few seconds and th' tips o' her fingers started ta glow. It was my turn ta smother my laughter. Th' girl was ET. "It's horrible. They'll kill me if they find out." Big tears rolled down her face. Remy looked bored outta his mind, but Ah noticed that he'd dropped his cheek ta his palm and was casually shadin' his eyes with his fingers.

"They won't kill ya," John assured her, even though there was a tremble o' doubt in his voice. "But I'm sure they won't let you come to anymore meetings, eh?"

"That's as good as being dead," she said flatly. It chilled me ta hear it, because it really meant that this girl, barely older than me, was a honest-ta-god member o' the Friends o' Humanity. John stole a quick look at me an' then Remy before pullin' Anne gently ta her feet.

"Why don't we go somewhere an' talk, huh?"

"Okay," Anne sniffed. She scooped up her coat from where it'd been restin' on th' arm o' the couch. She looked back an' forth between me an' Remy. Uncomfortable. "Um...I'm sorry. It was nice to meet you."

Ah smiled, even though she hadn't really met us at all an' Ah still wasn't sure how she'd gotten into th' apartment in th' first place.

"John?" Ah whispered as he walked by.

"I'll find out," he replied. "Watch out for Remy. He looks like he's growin' some prickers."

Once John had escorted Anne into the hallway an' shut th' door behind 'em, Ah settled myself, crosslegged, at Remy's feet. He wasn't lookin' at me. An' he was tryin' real hard at it. Ah touched his knee gently. "What's up?"

He still wouldn't face me an' his cheek was partially eclipsed by his hair. "Dat girl," he said hopelessly, raisin' his hands an' lettin' 'em fall again. "What's de point of anyt'ing if dere'll always be girls like dat?"

Ah sighed, easin' onto my back. Ah toed my shoes off an' braced my sock feet against his shins. "That's the 60 million dollar question, huh? Ah mean, we started out ta find what FOH was an' then we found out an' now John's in deep with 'em, but now what?"

"Exactly," he said dully. "Dere's no crime in angry words." He reached down an' rubbed my feet absently, fingertips tracin' in the hollows below my ankles.

"Thing is, they don't stay angry words forever, right? Somethin's bound ta start happenin' an' then we'll stop it. An' until it does..." Ah did my best ta shrug.

"Until it does, what?" Tried not ta roll my eyes. He could be damn stubborn when he was bored.

"Until it does, how was your day?" Ah asked pointedly.

His smile was crooked. "At least I picked de right profession." Reachin' out, he tugged my calves, bringin' me closer.

"That right?" Ah hooked my toes under his thighs.

"Dey all t'ink de eyes are punk rock...somet'ing." Effortlessly, Ah raised him into th' air. Never said there weren't advantages ta bein' strong. He readjusted his body until he was lyin' flat across my shins, peerin' down into my face. There was a jolt o' memory when Ah realized that Mystique used ta play with me th' same way when Ah was just a kid those rare times she'd come ta visit. 'Flyin' she'd called it. Ah'd completely forgotten an', surprised, Ah almost dropped Remy. Th' look he gave me was more questionin' than frightened.

Deliberately ignored th' question, o' course. "Hardcore?" Ah suggested.

Somethin' happened, too quick for me ta follow, but Remy rolled from my legs onto the floor beside me. He lay his head across my stomach an' sighed. "Not'ing but."

*** * ***

Woke up wit' a start when John's key scraped in de lock, my head jerking up. Let it fall when I saw who it was.

Rogue stirred when I moved. "Five more minutes mmm kay?"

"I see you two've been productive," John said.

Brushed de question away and rolled t' my feet. "Your girlfriend have anyt'ing interesting t' say?"

He looked at me darkly. "_Not_ my girlfriend."

I patted him on de back reassuringly. "I know dat." Y'd have t' know John like I do t' read dat little flicker of sadness dat sparked in his face right den. John had a tragic an' (t' me) inexplicable crush on Mystique. Never asked him 'bout it much. De man always looked like you'd just slapped him if de subject ever came up. "Dat girl's some kinda nutcase, _neh_?"

John threw himself on de couch like he was daring it t' break. "Not bonkers enough, unfortunately." He rubbed a hand across his face. "Y' don't know what it's like, goin' to those meetings."

"_Non_," I said quietly. De boy hadn't meant it viciously, but all de same it hurt. I _should_ have known what it was like going t' those meetings.

John lowered his hand long enough t' peer at me over de edges of his fingers. "You're not still on that, are you?"

"Not much." I grinned even though I couldn't help feeling a tug of sadness at de back of my throat.

"Good, because I need all three of your brain cells working for me right now."

"_Fils de putain_ (son of a bitch)," I said fondly.

"Likewise, I'm sure," John shot back.

"So what you need my help for so bad dat y' ask so pretty?"

"I told her."

"Told her y' used t' be a woman? Dat y' like t' eat t'ings better off cooked? Told her what?" He tilted his eyebrows at me meaningfully. "Y' didn't."

"Had to."

"Fuck. Why?"

John sat up. "Look, I didn't want to tell 'er I was a mutant, I _had_ to. She trusts me. She's been with the FOH longer than I have. People that're just names t' me...Creed and Bastion...she knows 'em. She can bring me along." John stared angrily at his hands. "D'you want to do something about it or not? Mebbe you want ta sit around all day waitin' for opportunity to cold-cock you upside the head, but I don't."

"Dat's not de point!"

"What is 'de point'?" he shot back nastily. "I'd love ta hear it. I'd love ta hear why the last three months with these fucking lunatics hasn't been a bloody waste of my time."

"Dere was another way t' do dis and y' know it."

He threw up his hands before sinking back into de couch, glaring. "Yeah. I could've stayed in and worked my way up. It only woulda taken five years or so."

Didn't want t' fight wit' John. He was making sense. But I couldn't help feeling anxious 'bout it. De FOH were no small change thugs. We were all in danger if dey found out. Looked away from John and was startled t' see dat Rogue was awake and staring at us intently.

"How long y' been up, _chére_?"

She pulled herself t' her feet, stretching her body out. Noticed de flash of pale skin on her stomach when her shirt rode up. She yawned. "Long enough ta know that ya two're fightin' over somethin' that's past an' done. Now what're we gonna do? This Anne chick trustworthy?"

"She's scared out of her effin' mind. And she hates herself. Usually a good combination," John said grimly.

"An' she trusts ya, right?"

"How could you not?" He smiled deep enough t' show de hidden dimples in his cheeks.

"Ask a stupid question, right?" Meanwhile, when she'd been talking, she'd come up beside me and slid her gloved hand t'rough mine. Tightened my fingers t' lace wit' hers. "Who're Creed and Bastion?"

John visibly relaxed. He ran a hand t'rough his hair, making de typically manic tufts even wilder. "Not sure," he said. "Far as I can tell, they're the ones who started all this mess."

"Y' t'ink dey've got other plans in mind?"

"I wouldn't bet against it."

T'ought 'bout dat for a moment. "Y' t'ink y' can arrange for a delivery t' de office?"

"Shouldn't be too difficult. Why?"

Rogue opened her mouth t' say somet'ing, but I cut her off. "Isn't t'ievin'. I'm about t' become useful."

*** * ***

pyromaniac: I almost asked which flirting, although it's not too present here, because Remy and John do a bit of it in my other stories. Ah, memories.

Niteflite: I wasn't gonna say anything about your brain fart, although it was pretty darn funny.

TrunksGirl: Eh, the Shelia thing was probably a bad call on my part. I've gotten into the habit of translating Remy's Cajun French. Also, I love John. Well, to be fair, my version of John because he's had, what, 5 minutes of screen time and nothing but manic cackling. Sigh.

ishandahalf: Boourns to Smallville? Eh, I possibly enjoy the fandom more than the show, but that's neither here nor there. And if you'll note, the return of Remy's thievery (must only use powers for good!)

Panther Nesmith: I quite enjoy the 50s slang and I had a friend in high school whose catch-phrase was "cool beans." I think that Rogue just likes giving John a hard time about stuff is all. But even cooler is using embarassing 80s slang. Umm, like adding "yo" to the end of everything.

Tenshi Kanashii: I plead harmless ignorance. The closest I've been to Australia is spending a year in England, which is to say -- not close at all. I'm finding it very difficult to replicate the rythmn of speech patterns (because that strikes me as the largest difference -- we all structure our sentences a little differently). I do see Pyro as a cute and funny dork though, so at least that's right on. And re: the title, I probably should have specified it as "outdated Australian slang" but I _do_ like it. I could have called it "The Cat's Pyjamas" and achieved a similar effect -- I like the phrase, even if it isn't in use anymore.

Chrissie, Rogue Star & B.M. Wraith: Thanks! Ask anyone, I always do finish my fanfics...eventually.

Ryoko Subaru: Rogue _could_ touch throughout a lot of the last story (_Envie_) but she can't anymore. Although maybe...eh, on second though, I'm not giving away anything, just in case I don't get around to writing it in. Ironically, I think their current situation is a whole lot more balanced and healthy than, say, the x-mansion. Not that I'm down on it, but this makes more sense to me somehow.

Neurotic Temptress: Hi! Welcome back to my shortness. These chapters _are_ shorter than I'm used to writing, but I think that'll all change when things really get moving, ohhh, let's say next chapter. In fact, I guarantee it. The Smallville fic is actually fully written, so I promise it won't be taking up any of my time (although part of it's stuck in beta-land purgatory right now). The great apartment hunt I can't promise anything, except that I've got a few surprises running around in my brain and hopefully they'll be shocking and amazing.


	3. iii

*** * ***

Interestin' that Remy (much more serious about food than me) should be the one ta end up as a bike messenger and Ah (pretty much indestructible) should be the one ta end up as a waitress at Ben's Chili Bowl. Funny enough, Ah liked my job. Ah liked the buildin' it was in that used ta be an old silent movie house complete with red scrolled trim an' old-fashioned signs hangin' out front advertisin' the "world famous chili dog." Th' job made a lot more sense ta me than school used ta sometimes.

Ah rubbed th' counter with a damp cloth an' tried not ta think about what Remy was probably doin' right at that moment. It'd only make me worry. Although Ah was already worried, so Ah guess it'd only make me more worried. Ah was half-mad at John for takin' such a stupid risk, even though Ah guess Ah understood why he thought he had ta take it. Sittin' around waitin' for things ta start happenin' wasn't really our style.

"Hey, Alastair?"

Th' cook poked his head through the kitchen door. He was tall an' broad an' took up most o' the space in front o' the grill. Ah was half afraid an' half admirin' o' him. "What's up?"

"Ah'm gonna duck outside for a minute, okay? The lunch rush won't start for a half hour, right?" Ah untied my red apron an' slipped it off.

Alastair shook his head. "An hour, more like. If you're goin', buy me a pack of Camels." He dug in his pocket and tossed me a few crumpled bills. Ah snatched 'em outta th' air. They were damp an' smelled like hamburger grease. Ah musta made a face, 'cause Alastair laughed, his teeth bright white against his dark skin.

"These're almost enough ta turn me vegetarian." Ah waggled th' money at him.

"Hey, we got vegetarian chili too," Alastair pointed out.

On my way outside, Ah grabbed a handful o' chalky, pastel mints from the dish at the side o' the register an' popped 'em in my mouth. There was a small convenience store on th' corner. They sold cigarettes ta me without any fuss an' they had a payphone out front. Small miracle since those particular kinds o' phones're a rapidly vanishin' breed. Th' warm pre-summer air felt good on my face. It was always a little cold in the restaurant.

Ah checked my watch before punchin' in the complicated series o' numbers on my callin' card. Seemed ta ring forever an' Ah was about ta hang up when there was a click at th' other end an' a breathless, "Hello?"

"Kitty."

"Oh my god!" Her voice was so loud Ah had ta hold the phone away from my ear, but Ah couldn't help the wide smile that made my cheeks ache. "Oh my god! _Rogue_!"

"Shhh! Ah'm sure there're people in Texas who haven't heard ya, but in the interests o' my ears..."

Kitty made a dubious noise. "I wish I could reach through the phone and, like, pop you one. Why didn't you write? I mean, I can understand if you didn't want to to the Professor or someone, but what about me and Kurt? We're both totally dying of boredom."

Felt a stab o' guilt at that. "Sorry. We were travelin' for awhile an' then we only just got settled here." A police car raced past, siren blarin'.

"And just where might 'here' be?" she demanded sharply.

"Ah don't know if Ah should tell ya."

Ya could practically _hear_ her eyes roll. "Whatever. It's not like I'm gonna rush out there and beg you to come back or anything. I'm just curious."

Ah looked at my watch. It'd be time ta get back ta work soon, but for th' moment Ah let my curiosity get th' better of me. "Anythin' interestin' happen while Ah've been gone? Besides you an' Kurt dyin' a slow, borin' death."

"When did I ever say it was slow?" Kitty shot back. "Fast boredom is totally the worst." Thankfully, it seemed that Kitty wasn't gonna press th' location issue, although she took her sweet time answerin' my question. "We got a new student," she said finally. "Two actually."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. These two British chicks. Betsy and Emma. Fights like you wouldn't believe. Sometimes I think it's a good thing, 'cause Scott uses all his energy just, like, trying to get them to behave."

Ah had ta chuckle at that. "Scott always did try ta bring the mountain ta Mohammed, huh?"

"What, Scott 'There's an easy way?' Summers? Nah." Kitty giggled. "Anyway, Bobby's got this huge crush on Betsy and so he's acting all goofy. Well, goofier than normal."

"What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, well, classes are a lot harder this year. AP physics and I don't seem to be getting along too well. I got into advanced woodshop..." she left th' end hangin', filled with all sorts o' things Ah knew Ah shouldn't disturb.

Only, it was th' first time Ah'd talked with her in months an' months an' Ah couldn't help disturbin' 'em. "Guess Lance got in too."

"She shoots. She scores," Kitty replied flatly.

"And?"

"And nothing. We're friends now, I guess."

"But?"

"But nothing. I mean, I feel bad about yelling at him and stuff, but how do you even apologize for something that happened a year and a half ago?"

"Startin' with 'Ah'm sorry' might help."

"Yeah," Kitty said ruefully. "I don't know if I'm ready for that yet."

"If Ah were there, ya know Ah'd be kickin' your ass right about now, right?"

"Yeah, well, you're not here." It would've been too easy ta imagine that th' bitterness in her voice was all in my head. "How's Remy?"

"Pretty much th' same. Th' red eyes're harder for him ta deal with than Ah thought they might be."

"Is he in trouble?"

"Not yet, but Ah think he might be headed that way. He cain't blend in as well as he used ta. Not with those eyes."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Ah started ta shake my head before Ah remembered that Kitty couldn't see me. If Ah unfocused my eyes, all o' U Street that Ah could see became a pretty watercolor blur. "Actually, if ya'd let me copy your notes, that'd be great."

"What?"

Ah quickly explained what Ah was after an' Kitty seemed ta think it was worth a shot. Ah gave her our address an' she faithfully promised ta mail th' information out after school.

"Speakin' of which, aren't ya supposed ta be in class right now?"

"Yeah, I guess I kind of am."

"An' what are ya missin' just so we can run our mouths?"

"Physics," she replied, not botherin' ta hide her joy. Ah laughed, hung up an' did my best ta swallow th' lump in my throat.

By th' time Ah got back ta the restaurant with Alastair's cigarettes, th' first o' the lunchtime crowd had started ta trickle in. Ah pulled on my apron an' tied it tightly around my waist. Those hours passed in a blur, but when they were done, Ah had a nice pile o' tips. Ah'd been pretty pleased ta discover that Ah was all but a natural at the whole waitressin' thing. Somethin' about keepin' people at arm's length but still pretendin' ta be friendly.

By four o'clock the place had cleared out again. Ah was dead tired an' my feet had gone numb from so much standin'. Ah traded Alastair his Camels for my own belated lunch. He handed it to me on his way outside, where he sat on th' sidewalk an' smoked peacefully, his back pressed tight against th' plate glass. Starvin', Ah took a bite o' my burger an' was surprised ta discover it was the vegetarian kind. Ah chewed slowly an' then laughed for a long time. Outside, Alastair turned ta look at me an' winked.

*** * ***

When y' say dat an organization is "grassroots" dere are certain t'ings y' expect: Cesar Chavez out in de fields and on de picket lines. Or Eugene Debs campaigning for President from his jail cell or de back of a Pullman train car. Everyt'ing's all folk music and gritted-teeth idealism. What y' don't expect is a security system dat might make Fort Knox jealous wired into a rowhouse dat barely seems worth de effort.

Figured dat security told de truer story and, all t'ings being equal, I was pretty glad dat I was dere in a professional capacity. Quick examination of de outside revealed at least four motion-activated cameras, wiring on each of de windows and motion sensors at de edges of de front lawn. It was chilly on de street, in de shadows of de tulip poplars tall enough t' keep all of de rowhouses in perpetual twilight. I shivered and dat might not have had much t' do wit' de shade.

Dere wasn't a doorbell, and no one answered my knock, so I pushed de door open carefully, not sure what I might find. Made me nervous t' go into anyt'ing so unprepared. Not even John could offer me more dan a brief description -- "Looked like a house t' me." -- and a shrug. Dere were satellite offices in other parts of de city, but de main office was nearest t' Capitol Hill by necessity. No matter what else dey were in secret, de Friends of Humanity were anti-mutant advocates t' de public eye and all advocates had t' keep a presence on de Hill.

Behind de door, I pictured somet'ing like a hive of electronic surveillance equipment, wit' cables strewn in hasty snarls across de floor. Instead, I saw wood floors, stairs leading up t' a darkened second story, wallpaper wit' a print of fat tea roses. Was dim and cool and dere was a faint smell of somet'ing heavy and floral, like incense, in de air. It was utterly silent.

"Hello?" I ventured, almost expecting for my voice t' echo back.

Quick, efficient footsteps sounded from de rear of de house. Someone's heels -- a woman's shoes -- tapping on de wooden floors. Pulled de elastic out of my hair dat I used t' keep it back when I rode. Tugged on de edge of my bike shirt and readjusted de package in my hands.

"Can I help you?" She melted from de shadows, tall and groomed. Slim black suit, blue shirt, blonde hair brushed smoothly into a ponytail at de base of her neck, small pearl earrings in her ears. Instantly, I was on guard. People wit' surfaces so refined are often de most skilled at hiding t'ings.

"I have a package for..." Made a great big show of squinting at de name on de envelope, using it and my hair t' screen my face while I tried t' take more careful stock of de surroundings. Beyond de overall first impression, littler t'ings were starting t' jump out at me. De security system controls were mounted on de far wall, along wit' a panel, almost totally camouflaged in de wallpaper, dat most likely covered video surveillance screens. Small holes drilled into de baseboard were probably parts of some kind of laser grid dat covered de floor. I caught sight of a couple more cameras hidden behind de walls, dere lenses peeking out at de center of some of de tea roses. "...for St. John Rivers." Almost winced at de name. I'd told John it was foolish and stupid, because _Jane Eyre_ wasn't exactly an unknown book and St. John Rivers wasn't exactly a minor character either. He'd only laughed and told me dat people had sentimental parents who gave dem stupid names all de time.

"Just look at th' number of James Bonds in th' world," he'd said. "And every single one of their parents thought it was original and clever, eh?"

"Mebbe so," I'd admitted, knowing dat he was certainly right, but also knowing dat he was missing de point, "but, de idea isn't t' come up wit' a distinctive and recognizable name. De best way t' get away wit' t'ings is not t' get noticed in de first place." I'd squinted at John critically. Wit' his flame of red hair, accent an' brash attitude, he'd never been one t' just fade into de scenery. Dat's one of de reasons we were friends.

"And so what d'you suggest? John Doe?"

"I'm sure dere's a happy medium."

"I'm damn sure I don't care."

Dat had pretty much settled it. John was de one sticking his neck out and so if he wanted t' call himself "St. John Rivers" dat was his call t' make. Even if I did still t'ink it was risky and stupid.

De woman's smooth forehead wrinkled an instant as she t'ought. "I'm sure that name sounds familiar," she said. When her shoulders sank a fraction of an inch, I could tell she'd dropped her guard some. Finally, she seemed t' come t' some kind of decision. "There's no one by that name here, but I can check the records. It'll only take a minute." She spun neatly and disappeared into de back of de house again. Dat silence I'd noticed before fell, thick and muffling, like a velvet curtain.

Each second scraped by slower and slower. Could feel a wiggle of panic in de back of my mind. It was dim in de house, but mebbe not dim enough. _What if she saw my eyes?_ Dey would give me away so easily. I shut dem briefly and tried t' ignore my uneasiness.

Finally, she returned and handed me a slip of paper. "They must have given you the wrong address. St. John Rivers is in our Dupont Circle office. I wrote the address down for you."

"Thanks," I said, trying my best t' make my accent as unnoticeable as possible. No matter what John t'ought, better t' have no distinguishing features.

"You're welcome. Have a nice day." I nodded. She was leaving de room when, seemingly at random, she said, "You know, _Jane Eyre_ was my favorite book when I was younger." Dat rattled me, but not as much as de faint, piercing cry dat came t'rough de front door right after I'd closed it behind me.

Raked my fingers t'rough my hair, successfully willing dem not t' shake. Gathered my hair back into de elastic again, got on my bike and set out t' find John.

Our designated meeting place might have seemed foolish t' someone unfamiliar wit' de powerful disguise of a crowd. A thoroughly planned city, Washington was filled wit' little parks and circles and Dupont Circle was one of de bigger ones. In warm weather, it was always filled wit' bike messengers and old men playing chess and office workers on dere lunch breaks. I slid onto de end of a newly-vacated bench and waited, stretching in de sun like a cat. Soon, I was engrossed by a group of students and dere dogs playing a modified version of Ultimate Frisbee in and around de fountain at de center of de circle. I spent a few idle minutes trying t' figure out de rules t' dere game before giving up completely and deciding dat dere weren't any rules.

Didn't even know John was beside me until de hot dog landed in my lap.

"_Putain_ (fucking hell)!" Was startled more dan anyt'ing. De hot dog was wrapped in foil. Lucky.

John grinned. "Take yer life in yer hands, then?"

Eyed de hot dog dubiously before I unwrapped it. Den I put on my best adoring look and fluttered my eyelashes at John. "Chili and onions! Darling, you know all my favorites!" I exclaimed loudly.

No one around batted an eye. Dupont Circle, besides being crowded wit' young people, was also de biggest homosexual area in de city.

"Just don't expect me t' be kissing ya afterwards," John gritted, dropping into de seat next t' me.

Pretended t' look hurt, but dat only lasted a second. I was starving. "Not as good as Ben's," I managed around bites.

"Nothing's as good as Ben's," he agreed. "Here." He pulled a plastic container out of his bag and tossed it to me.

Caught it one-handed and kept eating. "What's dis?"

"Mango lady."

"What?"

"There's a lady who sells fruit on the corner over there," he waved his hand vaguely, "ya get a whole cut up mango for two dollars."

"Good deal."

"And a free banana," he added, pulling it out of his bag too and dancing it t'rough de air and singing a manic little song about free bananas. Had t' stop him right after de song turned dirty.

"Y' kiss your mother wit' dat mouth?"

"Don't kiss _anybody_ with this mouth." He pouted.

"Point taken. Speaking of which, I told you dat St. John Rivers crap would come back t' bite you in de ass."

"Hmm. Not in that fun way, then?"

"_Non_."

"Hmm." John tilted his head, surveying his own hot dog (mustard and sauerkraut) from all angles. He took a tentative bite.

"De woman at de Hill office recognized de name."

"That's good. Mean's I'm makin' an impression."

"She recognized it from _Jane Eyre_." Hated it when de boy played stupid.

"Yeah? So? Did ya get a look at the place or not?"

"Like a conspiracy theorist's wet dream."

"Can ya do anything about it?"

Dat was de question, wasn't it? I didn't have de answer right den. "I'm working on it." I stood, dropping de envelope addressed t' him on my seat. "Thanks for de mango. I've got t' get home."

"Yeah?"

"If I don't, Rogue'll be cooking for sure."

His eyes widened wit' genuine horror. John had pretty much forgiven Rogue for shooting him dat time, but I didn't t'ink he'd ever forgive her cooking. He gave me a little shove, leaving a smear of mustard on my shirt. "Better light a fire under your arse then."

Tucked de mango into my bag and headed for home.

*** * ***

Yes, Virginia, there _is_ a mango lady in Dupont Circle and she _does_ give out free bananas. Also, Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street is a Washington institution. Martin Luther King Jr. ate there! And Duke Ellington! And a million other cool people.

**Chrissy**: Everyone loves John! C'mon now, admit it! Funny to think about because, as I say, no lines and, dude, he was barely in the comics even before he caught the Legacy Virus and bit the big one. But it _is_ possible to love both John and Remy. I have enough love for everyone!

**kaosda**: Thanks! I like this cast too. I'm not skilled enough to juggle more than 3 or 4 characters at once. Sigh. Someday maybe I'll be able to do a fic with everyone.

**Pyromaniac**: John plays a fairly major supporting part in _Envie_ and he's in _Une Danse Ronde_ a bit, in case you ever get the chance. OTOH, the stories are...um...substantial.

**Panther Nesmith**: Okay, so this is getting out of hand! I leave the fandom for like two months and everyone forgets I exist? [sobs wildly] I promise not to leave for so long ever, ever again! I'm just kidding, of course. So many Evo writers, so many stories. I forget me too sometimes. ;)

**Dr. Lauryl**: Probably (hopefully?) some of the confusion is because this takes place in a little splinter universe I created over the course of a three story arc. The Cliff's Notes version goes like this:

Rogue and Remy met up after Rogue escaped from Trask, at first they didn't trust each other, then they kind of did. They followed Trask/Magneto/et al. to Genosha but were captured, tattooed and experimented on. Rogue ended up (accidentally) absorbing/killing her friend Jenny (thus giving Rogue the flight/strength she has in the comics). They managed to rescue everyone, but Remy had to go off and deal with some stuff back in New Orleans (read: Mr. Sinister). Family issues, yadda. Rogue eventually came after him. Relationship issues, yadda. They separated again and Remy showed up at the Institute a few months later. Everyone's happy until Rogue starts messing with her powers with disastrous results. Remy (assisted by John) takes a huge risk and saves her. Kitty grows a spine and Kurt acts like a brother. Remy decides that the Institute isn't the right place for him and Rogue decides that she's not quite at home there anymore either. He wants to find out more about the FOH since some of the members tried to kill him and Kurt and they ride off into the sunset to find John, convince him to leave the Acolytes and discover the secrets of the FOH.

Whew. Sorry.

**Ryoko** and **Susannah**: Your suggestion for more R/R action is duly noted. I would like to see them get it on more often as well. Sometimes _they_ are not so cooperative. John's crush on Mystique is adapted from something suggested in the comics. It does pop up from time to time. "Action" is my middle name. Pft. Who the hell am I kidding? "Navel-gazing" is my middle name. I just try my best with the action. Off topic, Ryoko, you're an anime nut like me, no? I only ask because, a) your username and b) the Kenshin fic recs. I'm watching Kenshin right now (and patiently waiting for my DVDs to come because the Kenshin dub=baaad).

**Neurotic Temptress**: You know me too well. But I'm not spilling _all_ my secrets. How else would I delight or entertain (or at least attempt to do both)?

**Christy S**: See, now that _is_ interesting. I'm sure Graydon will be around one of these days. Hidden pasts are totally fun and exciting. And what _is_ going on in that house on the Hill?

**ishandahalf**: More theiving and sneakiness and stealthy goings on next chapter. After all, what kind of thief would Remy be if he didn't case the place first? John is totally cool. I only hope he's not in over his bright red head. [frets] 

**Lace123**: I'm front and sideways too! Sorry, bad joke. I'm actually really flattered that you recognize me from writing style alone. Hooray. It's lovely to see everyone back again. [sniff]

**missy42**: I believe in open endings, I really do. Don't believe in much else, but I do believe in that. I'd be great in Hollywood, writing B-grade slasher movies and whatnot. I should just end everything "THE END?" and be done with it. The thing about writing in a cartoon/comicverse is that there's _always_ more. The genre depends on long storylines that never get resolved. You'll tell me if the stories get too convoluted, right? Thanks.


	4. iv

*** * ***

Remy tries ta pretend he doesn't care, but Ah know he hates it when Ah eat in bed. Haven't figured out if it's 'cause he's got such a particular, formal relationship with food or if it's 'cause he doesn't like th' idea of crumbs on th' sheets.

Ah licked mango juice off my fingers an' carefully settled my legs across Remy's stomach. Used ta be that Ah was jealous o' those girls who could just drape themselves anywhere when Ah couldn't. Skin on skin, right? Remy's shirt was ridin' up a little. His flat stomach was barely visible, but that could be enough if Ah accidentally touched him for long enough. He was absorbed in a beat-up copy of _Naked Lunch_ he'd picked up somewhere, but that didn't stop him from reaching down ta brush his fingertips lightly along my calves. Ah could feel my powers like static sparks.

"Did y' know dat William S. Burroughs shot his wife in Mexico when dey were trying t' play William Tell?"

"Ah can think of better games," Ah said, raisin' one leg and tapping my toes against his stomach. Then Ah dropped another piece of mango into my mouth, closed my eyes an' chewed slowly. When Ah reopened my eyes, Remy had put down th' book an' was starin' at me. "Good for catchin' flies, right?" Ah laughed, rememberin' that he'd said somethin' like that ta me back when we first met. He sat up quickly an' Ah partially tumbled off th' bed. "Hey!"

"Not nice t' tease a man, beb," he said mock-serious, waving a finger.

"Didn't think ya'd notice." Ah stretched my leg an' nudged th' book onto th' floor. The sound it made seemed real loud, only 'cause th' room had gotten real quiet. "Ah mean, why have a _girlfriend_ when ya have a _book_?" Remy's hair fell partly over his eyes an' Ah had a hard time tryin' ta guess what he'd do next, which is why th' pillow ta the head took me completely by surprise.

Ah put a foot on his shoulder an' shoved him over backwards, usin' the time ta grab a pillow of my own. He laughed an' Ah made sure not ta put any force behind my swing. In old movies, this is always where th' feather pillows would bust open, only we didn't have th' money for feather pillows, an' the acrylic stuffin' stayed put.

He dove across th' bed, ending up sprawled across my knees, his hands reaching for all th' ticklish places he'd committed ta memory over th' past few months. He'd kept explainin' that if ya were gonna have a super powerful girlfriend ya were gonna have ta find _some_ of her weaknesses. He was quick o' course. Quicker than me. In between, he'd steal tiny kisses but the feelin' of his lips on my skin would evaporate almost faster than it took ta realize they were there in th' first place.

Ah reached for him, tryin' ta get a good grip, but he sprang back nimbly, restin' on th' balls of his feet. He was breathless an' smilin'. Ah sprang at him, stretchin' out my fingers just in time ta catch hold of his shirt. Heard the fabric snarl a little when it ripped. Overbalanced, we fell flat. Ah tucked his hips between my knees an' gave him my best shit-eatin' grin. He craned his neck without too much difficulty an' pressed his lips on mine, lightly, tracin' th' outline with his tongue. Sighin', it was me that had ta pull away when Ah felt the powers start ta kick in.

Interestin' how Ah could sometimes hold 'em back for longer if my mind wasn't on 'em.

Th' collar of Remy's shirt was tilted at an unnatural angle. He looked at it sadly, touchin' the barely-torn seam.

"You going t' pay for dis, _chére_?"

"Forgot th' part of th' story where your clothes are more valuable than the rest of ours. Encrusted with diamonds mebbe?" Ah folded my arms. "Par for the course. An' besides, it's not like ya didn't start it."

He put on a puzzled look an' knocked on th' top of my head. "Hello? Anyone home? Seem t' recall somet'ing in de distant past where someone in dis bed has no respect for modern American literature."

Ah brushed his hand away. "An' Ah seem ta recall somethin' in th' distant past where someone else upped th' ante."

He shrugged. "Don't step up t' de table if you're not prepared t' play."

Rolled my eyes. "Don't fling gamblin' analogies at me, Cajun. Or any analogies for that matter. Ah'm too tired for that." Ah made a big show outta fluffin' th' pillow in my hand an' settlin' back on th' bed. "Dinner was excellent, by th' way."

Remy'd fixed up some kinda improvised biryani. Basmati an' chicken. He cooked recklessly, just like always, without recipes, choppin' an' mixin' things together. He moved through th' kitchen barefoot, almost dancin' in front of the' pots. Even though he didn't like people clutterin' his way, Ah always snuck a few looks. Made me happy ta see him so carefree. An' dinner _had_ been excellent. That was true enough.

"Y' only say dat so y' won't have t' cook."

"Can ya blame me? Ah'm pretty sure John still hasn't recovered from th' last time."

He shook his head sadly an' lay against me, tossin' an arm over my chest, right under my breasts. "Don't see how anyone can mess up vegetable soup." He said it like it pained him. Mebbe it did. Like Ah said, Remy's got a complicated relationship with food.

"Too much mustard powder," Ah suggested helpfully.

"Dere's not supposed t' be mustard powder in it at all! Who in de wide world puts mustard powder in vegetable soup?"

"My mom, for one!" Ah protested, playful at first, but then Ah clapped a hand over my mouth. It wasn't a lie, but it was just like before. A flash of somethin' Ah didn't even know Ah'd forgotten. Mystique, of all people, _cookin'_ durin' one of her visits. Not well, but amazin' that she'd do it at all. Ah buried my head in Remy's shoulder, embarrassed that it should come up at all, or that Ah should ever call Mystique 'mom.'

Remy didn't say anythin', he just touched my shoulder gently. Ah could feel the warmth of his hand through the long-sleeved t-shirt Ah was wearin'. "Any of dat mango left or did y' hog it all?"

"Here." Ah twisted, reachin' behind me ta get the plastic container. Ah popped it open with my thumb and picked out a piece for Remy. He ate it out of my hand, makin' very sure ta lick th' syrup from my fingers. "Nandi was back in today," Ah told him once he'd finished. Couldn't concentrate too well until he did anyway. Nandi's real name was Christine Martin, an' she was a street poet who lived over th' river in Southeast. Sometimes she stopped in at Ben's when she was in th' neighborhood.

"Yeah? She have anyt'ing new?"

Closed my eyes an' tried ta remember. Because th' poem sounded so good in her clear, strong voice. An' if Ah could remember then we wouldn't have ta talk about what we'd been avoidin' with the pillow fight an' the book an' everythin'.

"Ah gave you my all / But that wasn't enough / Ah handled you carefully / Ya let me down rough / Ah gobbled your lies / Because, man, they were good / Ah love ya so desperately / Much more than Ah should."

"I like it," Remy said after a long silence.

"Yeah," I agreed softly. "An' the way she said it..."

"I know." He reached past me and flicked off the light. Ah listened ta his breathin' for a long time, until it turned slow an' deep an' Ah could tell he was sleepin'. The apartment was mostly quiet then, quiet enough for me ta be able ta hear the soft click as John snapped his cigarette lighter outside th' door. Ah knew that if Ah craned my neck a little Ah'd see the soft fire glow through th' crack under th' door, but Ah stayed where Ah was. John was practicin'. Brushin' up his skills for tomorrow night when we'd all invade that house on th' Hill.

Ah shivered. What's that expression again? Someone walkin' on your grave, right?

*** * ***

Dat evening, when I got back from work I noticed de bruise forming on my upper arm. No one ever said dat de job was wit'out its hazards. Some days it seemed dat every driver in de whole city was gunning for me. Even though it was only spring, de days were already getting hot. Even in de mornings when de sun was barely up. Lifted my hair and fanned my neck. I'd let it get longer over de past months, equal parts laziness, lack of money and necessity. But it was becoming more of an annoyance. I went into de bathroom and stuck my head under de faucet, opening de cold water tap all de way and letting de water spill over my neck. When I raised my head, I sprayed flecks of water onto de mirror.

I shaved and t'ought about de scissors in de medicine cabinet. It was easy t' take my hair in handfuls and cut. In de end I had somet'ing dat stood up in clumpy spikes and looked like I got stuck at de wrong end of a lawnmower fight. De face in de mirror was smiling, strange eyes and all. Sometimes when I caught sight of dem it seemed for a minute dat I couldn't recognize myself at all. Ran my hand t'rough dat hair and forced myself t' look steady ahead. I liked it, even if de eyes spooked me most of de time.

Rogue had worked an early shift dat day, so she could take de night off t' come wit' us. Didn't like de idea of all three of us in harm's way (who would be dere t' be de cavalry if somet'ing went wrong?) She was napping when I went into de bedroom. De sun was setting and sent a solid bar of orange light slashing t'rough de room. Rogue was sprawled diagonal, wit' one arm thrown across her eyes. De sheets were twisted tight around her hips and her shirt was bunched high on her stomach. Her stomach was exposed and her other hand lay flat against her skin, just below her bellybutton. De light made her glow like she was on fire.

De scene stopped me for a few minutes and all I could do was admire. I rummaged t'rough our shared dresser as quietly as I could. Neither one of us had very many clothes. Stripped off my sweaty bike shirt and nylon pants. Never got tired of exchanging dirty clothes for clean ones.

"Ya cut your hair."

Jumped, but recovered quickly. "Punk as fuck, non?"

"That'd be one way ta put it." Her voice was thick wit' sleep. She swung her legs over de edge of de bed. "Why didn't ya let me do it?"

Imagined her slender fingers applying shampoo, threading t'rough my hair, clipping carefully. Dat stirred all sorts of t'ings dat I t'ought were better left unexplored if I wanted t' keep my sanity at least a little longer. Of all de t'ings I'd ever vaguely imagined doing in my life, having a girlfriend I couldn't really touch had never been one of dem. "Because I needed t' do it quickly. I didn't want t' be distracted."

She climbed t' her feet, padding softly, or mebbe she was hovering low wit' her feet skimming over de carpet. Her gray eyes were dark as rain clouds. "Ah'm a distraction? Ah should be hurt."

"Dat's not what I meant and y' know it. Where's John?"

A yawn and stretch. "Out with Anne." She looked at me hard, den laughed. "Ya don't need ta look so horrified. John knows what he's doin'."

"Y' mean Monsieur Rivers? Sometimes I doubt dat."

"No ya don't." She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed against me, warm from her nap and smelling like sleep. Closed my eyes. "Scared?"

"I'm not a _capo_ (coward)."

"Didn't say that, now did Ah? Ah asked if ya were scared."

It'd been a hard t'ing t' tell her 'bout de way de Guild tracked Essex across Nawlins, but in de end she'd squeezed my shoulder and thanked me quietly for telling her. Dat's de last time I'd been afraid enough t' feel dat de emotion might just swallow me up.

Shook my head. "_Non_. But I am worried 'bout John."

"Why?"

"Because I get a funny feeling from Anne. Or mebbe because I feel sorry for her, t'inking dat John feels somet'ing dat he doesn't."

Could feel Rogue stiffen. "Not like ya've never done _that_ before yourself."

We'd never talked 'bout anyt'ing from...before. Past relationships. Knew dat most likely I had more t' tally in dat corner dan she did, but dat wasn't de reason we didn't talk. Apparently 't hadn't stopped her from t'inking 'bout it.

"Never wit' anyone who shouldn't have known better," I assured her. Dat wasn't a lie.

"Might sting just th' same."

"Rogue..."

"Forget it, okay? It's not important."

"Dat's right." Gently, I escaped her embrace and faced her. Dere was somet'ing closed in her face, studied blandness so dat I couldn't tell if she was really still upset or not.

"We should get ready," she finally said. Reaching down, she grabbed de hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. "Hand me another shirt, huh?"

"Tease." Smiled and was relieved when she smiled back.

While Rogue dressed, I went back into de living room. Most of de gear was assembled already, packed into two black duffels, but I unpacked it, checked it and repacked it. De buzzer sounded. Once long, den in quick succession. Even when he wasn't physically present, John had a tendency t' be spastic.

"John locked himself out again!" I called t' Rogue. Pressed de button and buzzed him up. Took practically no time at all before de knock at de door. Opened it, den tried t' slam it quickly.

"Hey!" Kitty's outraged shriek was loud even t'rough a layer of wood. "Miss Manners is rolling over in her grave right now!" Girl was pounding so hard, I swear de wood was jumping under my hands.

"Miss Manners is dead?" I asked her mildly, not budging one inch.

"How the hell should _I_ know?"

"Who is it, Remy?" Rogue asked, coming out of de bedroom. "Not John, Ah guess."

"Remy, you creep! Let me in."

T'ought of vampires and how dey're only supposed t' come in if y' invite dem. Not de same t'ing wit' Kitty, but I knew dat she didn't like t' use her powers t' impose herself on people.

"Let her in," Rogue said quietly.

"_Comment_ (what)?"

"Let her in." She sighed. "Ah'm th' one who invited her...sorta." Stepped back and de door flew open, slamming against de wall wit' a noisy crash. "Ah forgot th' part o' the conversation where Ah asked ya ta visit," she said t' Kitty.

Obvious t' me dat I'd missed somet'ing important. "Y' talked t' her?"

"She gave me your address," Kitty said helpfully. She closed de door and locked it. De doorknob had left a nice dent in de wall.

"Y' talked t' her?"

"Yesterday."

"Good dat y' told de rest of us."

"It was personal," Rogue snapped.

"Dat's just great."

"It's not like we're _criminals_. We're not in _hidin'_."

"Non. But dis doesn't make de situation any easier, now does it? And I'm sure de Friends of Humanity would disagree wit' you on de criminal issue."

Kitty wrinkled her nose. "Ugh. Those guys."

"Exactly." Nodded at her. At least she understood dat much.

"Is that what all this junk is for?" She nudged one of de duffel bags wit' her toe.

"Stop dat."

Of course, dat was de natural time for John's keys t' rattle in de lock. He stepped into de apartment, looked at each of us, rubbed his eyes, stepped backwards, closed de door behind him and den repeated de whole performance.

"When did our apartment turn into Union Station?" He turned on Kitty. "Who in the hell are you then?"

Kitty balled her hands into fists and jammed dem furiously against her hips. "None of your business."

"As long as I pay a third of the rent on this place it's always my business, sweetheart."

Kitty frowned. "You didn't say he was, like, such a jackass." John bared his teeth at her. "Look, you're obviously up to something." She looked pointedly at de bags on de floor. "And there's no way you can stop me from helping."

John opened his mouth, but I stopped him wit' a look.

"She's right."

"What?" Rogue burst out.

"Y' don't t'ink I like de idea of breaking in wit' four people along, do y'? Dis whole t'ing is turning into a Three Stooges movie."

"Not t' be the bearer of bad news," John said, "but if we don't get our arses moving we'll lose our opportunity ta find out what's goin' on in that house. Anne said all the big shots are at a meeting downtown tonight. Otherwise they don't leave the house." Guess dat no one made a move fast enough for him, because he grabbed a duffel bag and caught Kitty's wrist. She phased t'rough and John shot forward, caught off-balance. He muttered somet'ing under his breath dat sounded nasty.

Rogue took de other duffel bag. I shut de door behind us.

*** * ***

Nandi is a real street poet who hangs out in the Shaw/Howard U/U St. area. And the poem is actually hers, just to give credit where it's due.

Christy S: Yeah, St. John Rivers is a creepy character. Also, I never understood why that particular part of Jane Eyre takes, like, a million pages to finish. Since this is primarily a Rogue/Remy/John story, I can't really speak to the Lancitty. I'm sure those crazy kids'll be fine though. Can't say the same about John and Kitty. Off on the wrong foot much?

Kaosda: Dude, I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me about Rogue and Remy and the sexiness. I'd be so rich. The answer that I've given everyone is: no, not really. There is much you can do without having actual intercourse though and I leave it up to you to decide how much of _that_ they did.

Tenshi Kanashii: Don't worry. I won't take it personally. If the plot's not your cup o' tea then it would be pretty hard to like the story. And it seems that you're a Pyro fan and yeah more Pyro action in this one (which was one of my super secret ulterior motives for writing anyhow, but shh! don't tell anyone). I _do_ remember the scene where Pyro hit on Rogue. Hee. I like writing Pyro because he hasn't had much screen time on Evo and he wasn't hugely in the comics either, so I can make stuff up about him, which I like.

Chrissie: I have such issues with the movie-verse Rogue though...ugh...they Jubilee-ized her. Not that I don't like Jubes, just that bait and switch is no fair. I'm crossing my fingers that Pyro won't just be a crazy guy who likes to set fire to stuff too. Sigh.

Neurotic Temptress: Losing your mind again? Hee. I feel that the paragraph summary missed certain pertinent character-development issues, but I can totally deal. Free comic book day this Saturday! Woo! I'm saddened by the fact that Larroca isn't gonna pencil on Xtreme anymore, but I'm encouraged that Rogue and Remy are coming back from whatever comic book limbo they've been stuck in lately.

Lucky439: See, now that's what I like. So much enthusiasm. :)

Ishandahalf: Not noticing a pink living room is kind of unobservant, OTOH, my dad didn't notice the _ginormous_ water tower behind our local Staples until we'd lived there for, like, 12 years.

Missy24: That's right! Use me as a crutch to beat other fanfic writers with! Hooray! I'm not even thinking about the absence of Remy in X2 because it makes me weep and sob loudly and then I annoy others. My point is, no kissing of the Iceman! That's my point. Lots of Rogue/Remy-ness this chapter. I have a feeling this story may go on for quite some time, so if anyone doesn't particularly feel like the long haul... Sadly, Kenshin has little to do with the story either. I just like him and his silliness and his pretty hair. In the category of "You know you're an R/R fan when" there's a song by Kosheen (sorta pop/soul/techno) with the line "Sweet, untouchable you" that never fails to remind me of R/R. So watch the dork go hide in the corner.

Panther Nesmith: I was only kidding about the whole forgetting me thing. And it had been awhile since I'd poked my head over this way. I loved that mango lady, man. I worked in Dupont a couple summers (so many bike messanger boys...drools) and it was nice to know my breakfast was waiting for me every day. There was a grape man too, but it was never quite the same...

Solitaire: Thanks! I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop since the set-up for this one is a bit more protracted than others.

B.M.Wraith: I understand about sleep-deprivation. The few all-nighters I've pulled I don't think I was writing in English by the end. It's interesting that you should bring up perspective. When I first got the idea for the first story (which was _supposed_ to be a short-ish stand-alone!) it was always a first person thing. OTOH, if I were writing a story about Kitty, I think that I'd stick with third person. I think it works (more or less) here because the "voices" are interesting. I've learned a lot about these characters writing so close, and that was important (especially with Remy, who was a huge blank to me for a while). I'm always so thrilled to hear that anyone thinks my stuff is quotable! It's not as difficult for me to make with the snappy comebacks in real life (perils and perks of coming from a large and loud Italian family), but on paper? Not so much.

Jean1: I'm glad you like the John/Remy friendship. Sometimes I feel like it's so much projection on my part, because it definitely _is_ the kind of thing I'd like to see my guy friends have. A lot of them have a tendency to hold other guys at arm's length and it makes me sad sometimes. Kitty is such an interesting character because I think, of all the x-men, she has her powers pretty much completely under control (am I the only one who feels like Jean is going to drop something every time she uses her TK?), but emotionally she's got a ways to go.


	5. v

It was th' worst place Ah'd ever seen.

There's no other way ta put it really. Somethin' in th' air. Wind through th' leaves sounded like a million people whisperin' at once an' th' moon castin' weird shadows on the sidewalk. It was quiet, but quiet like all the noise was bein' sucked down into th' house. It looked blind into th' street, but that blank face was reachin' for somethin'. Waitin'.

"This place is totally creepy," Kitty breathed.

"If ya want t' turn back now, love, there's nothing t' stop ya," John replied sweetly, earnin' a furious scowl from Kitty. Th' two of em' had been bickerin' ever since we'd left th' apartment.

"I'm not afraid," she insisted defiantly, pokin' her index finger into John's chest.

"Enough," Remy cut in. His voice wasn't particularly loud, but it sliced across both o' their conversations quick enough. "Rogue?" Ah knew what he was askin' without him havin' ta say it.

"Ya think these two can keep from killin' each other if we leave 'em for more than three seconds?" Faster than Ah would've thought possible, two pairs of eyes focused angrily on me. "Hey," Ah told 'em, "Ah just call things like Ah see 'em." Without waitin' for 'em ta answer, Ah scooped Remy into my arms an' headed for th' roof.

Remy pointed out where he'd seen th' cameras an' so we were careful ta keep our distance from 'em. Lucky thing that th' roof was flat. Narrow, but more than enough for me ta land on.

"Stay here, _chère_," Remy advised. "Better dat we don't move too much, just in case de sensors got a longer range dan I t'ought." My breath caught in my throat at that. Remy was off. He melted into th' shadows under th' trees. Ah saw dimly when he knelt an' eased himself over smoothly, grippin' th' edge o' th' roof. Not a sound but those whispers an' the squeak o' two branches rubbin' together somewhere. My heart beat faster an' Ah could feel sweat poolin' in my palms.

He was gone _forever_, seemed like.

But just as Ah was screwin' up my courage ta fly after him, he reappeared. Ah had ta hold myself back, resistin' th' urge ta fling my arms around his neck.

He laid his hand briefly against my cheek. Th' fingerless leather gloves he was wearin' felt cool on my skin, not like him at all.

"Dere's no wiring in de upper windows," he reported briskly. "Dat's de way we'll get in."

"Cameras?"

He shook his head, ran his hand back over his shockin' haircut. "Too dark. Couldn't see anyt'ing."

"Ah'll get Kitty an' John."

They were quiet when Ah reached 'em an' came without complaint. By th' time Ah got back, Remy'd jimmied th' window open. Sometimes it was easy ta forget where his real strengths lay. Or maybe it was just that Ah didn't want ta think about it too much. Ah know that sometimes our ideas o' what makes a moral person are too narrow. And Ah know that carin' what other people think is an exercise in uselessness 'cause they don't really think' o' you as often as you're afraid of anyhow, but at th' same time, Ah couldn't help carin'. Mebbe it's what bein' sixteen gets ya. If Ah had some fairy godmother, Ah'm pretty sure those little naggin' worries are what Ah'd wish away first. Like it or not, Remy was a thief an' Ah didn't want ta change that, even if Ah felt like it sometimes. It'd only make him less free, less himself than when he'd started out.

That gloved hand again. My mind had been wandrin' away an' it took me by surprise.

"_Chère_?"

"Ah'm okay."

"Let us go first, okay?" Without waitin' for a reply, Kitty grabbed hold o' John. "Why don't you, like, make yourself useful?"

"Light my fire, sweetheart," John shot back. He flipped his lighter into her hands an' she clicked it on, close enough ta his hair for him ta start back. John wiggled his fingertips an' suddenly he was playin' with a ball o' flame no bigger than one o' those big shooter marbles.

In th' light, Ah could see Kitty roll her eyes. "Please. Just watch out for cameras, okay?" They sank through th' roof.

Remy shook his head.

"Good thing there're so damn many fire jokes in th' world, right?"

"I've known him longer dan you. Dere're surprisingly few. John knows dem all." There was a happy annoyance in th' way he said it.

Neither Remy or John would ever admit it, but it was a real good thing that Kitty was there. The way she disrupted electrical systems was a hell of a lot subtler than th' electrostatic pulse generator we'd packed. Th' main problem was in th' power. The generator packed a helluva wallop an' probably would've taken out th' electrical systems in the surroundin' houses besides. Not that there was particularly much goin' on in th' neighborhood after hours, but all it would've taken was one overzealous lobbyist workin' late.

Ah never quite got used ta th' sight o' Kitty's phasin'. When her hand rose outta th' roof almost ta th' elbow, Remy just stared.

"Ya waitin' for th' fourth o' July?" Ah asked anxiously. "Grab her."

"Rather take de window route if it's de same t' you."

"Would ya two quit stalling already?" John demanded faintly. "She ain't gettin' any lighter." There was an outraged squeak an' Ah guessed that one o' Kitty's shoes had found a convenient part o' John's anatomy.

"For god's sake!" Remy caught hold o' Kitty's hand and disappeared through th' roof. By th' time Ah scooped up th' duffel bags an' flew through th' window, John, Kitty an' Remy were safely on th' floor. John was rubbin' his cheek pathetically.

"Oww. I think ya loosened a tooth."

"Baby."

He looked at her darkly. "There's nothin' childish about good dental hygiene." He waited for th' joke ta drop before continuin'. "We'd better get a move on, then. Meeting's not going ta last forever."

"Downstairs," Remy said.

"Fuse box?" Ah asked.

"Mebbe de basement. Didn't see one when I was here dis afternoon."

"Fantastic," Kitty drawled sarcastically. "There should only be, like, a million other cameras in the hallways."

"_Non_. De surveillance panel downstairs is only big enough for two screens, if dey're split four ways, dat's still only eight cameras. De alarm's more of a problem."

"Not much," Ah said, risin' slightly into th' air ta drive my point home.

"Here," John said, unzippin' one o' th' bags. "There should be a..." He trailed off, makin' a small, pleased noise instead. "Right, here it is." He was holdin' somethin' that looked like a pipe. "Camera," he said, bendin' a kink in th' tubing. He slid th' thing under th' door an hooked a small screen into th' end. "Heat sensing. Picks up machinery pretty damn good."

"Let me see," Kitty said, jockeyin' for position in front o' th' screen. "Is that this wall?" Without waitin' for John ta answer, she reached inside.

"Got it," John admitted grudgingly.

They deactivated all th' cameras on both floors that way, Kitty movin' slowly, reachin' in where John told her. Seemed like each second was draggin' over us, rough an' heavy, but in reality, it couldn't have been more than ten minutes all in all.

"Back dere," Remy whispered, raising a gloved finger toward th' shadows at th' back o' th' house.

We were all crowded on th' bottom step, careful not ta set foot on th' ground floor. John rummaged in th' second bag an' pulled out a canister, about th' size o' a small can o' spray paint. He pressed th' top an' a fine mist filled th' room. Kitty coughed a bit, mufflin' th' sound with th' back o' her hand. Remy's breathin' was heavy. Once th' mist settled near th' floor, we could see th' bright spider web o' lasers criscrossin' over each other. Th' spaces between 'em were so tight, Ah don't think there was space for a child's foot ta step.

"Here." Ah bent over, offerin' my back ta Remy. He clasped his arms around my neck an' Ah grabbed Kitty an' John with each o' my hands. "We're prayin' this stuff doesn't go back all th' way, right?"

"Hard as we can," Remy said humorlessly.

John tucked his legs up into his chest. He was only danglin' by one hand, usin' th' other ta hold th' fire in front of us. "Go slow, right?"

Kitty tucked her legs in. "Not too slow." In th' strange red light comin' from th' network o' lasers, Ah could see how sweat had streaked her cheeks. Ah bit my lip an' flew forward. Ah could feel John an' Kitty's hands shaking with fatigue inside mine, but Ah forced myself ta maintain a steady pace.

Luck was with us right then, that's all that Ah can really say. Ah always suspected th' Lady had somethin' of a crush on Remy, or mebbe it was more of a motherin' thing. Like she'd kissed him ta mark him when he was born an' had been watchin' close over him ever since then. He slid from my back an' set ta work on th' door. Ah'd seen him pick locks before, but somehow Ah never got tired o' watchin' it. Was like magic.

"Wires?" Remy asked, a pick clenched in his teeth.

Kitty dipped her index finger into th' door frame. "Not anymore."

John's light fluttered out. "Hey!" Remy protested.

John's hands wobbled an' it took him a little bit ta start up th' lighter again. He shaped a ball o' light larger than th' last one. It hovered in front o' his nose like a will o' th' wisp.

"Ready?" Without waitin' for anyone ta answer, Remy pushed th' door open an' th' darkness behind it came rushin' out ta meet us.

*** * ***

Dere was a minute on de stairway when I couldn't breathe. I've been t' dark places in my life, places dat were more dan dark. I've been out in de bayou at night wit' de benefit of a failed lantern. Dere was dat time when I was wedged inside de Pig's chimney like Santa. But at dat moment on those stairs I knew dat everyt'ing I'd experienced before was bright as day in comparison.

John's fire danced ahead of us. He kept making it bigger, but no matter how big it got, it always seemed like a fading pinprick against dat dark. It was a physical sensation -- walking in de folds of a never-ending velvet curtain -- it filled my nose and mouth until I felt like I was drowning inside it. De walls seemed t' narrow and I reached my hand out t' touch one, just t' show myself dat de notion was all in my head. Recoiled at de feeling. Whatever it was made of felt like ash under my fingers and flaked onto my skin. Hastily pulled my hand back, shaking it. De hairs on de back of my neck pricked.

"Somet'ing wicked," I murmured.

"What?" Rogue asked, her voice echoing faintly in de dark.

"Not'ing," I said quickly, wiping my hand on my pants.

"This place is totally weird," Kitty whispered. Almost like she was afraid of de echo. Not sure I would have blamed her if she was. Couldn't quite remember how big someplace had t' be t' produce an echo, how far apart de walls had t' be. But sure I knew dat de usual basement wasn't big enough by half.

"Somethin' wicked this way comes, eh?" John said, startling me.

"By the pricking of my thumbs," Kitty supplied.

"Stop it," Rogue ordered sternly. "There's no need ta encourage early heart attacks."

"How long have we been on this stupid staircase anyway?" Kitty demanded nervously. She kicked at one of de treads and stumbled, clutching hard onto John's arm. De light wobbled. Shadows beat like wings over our heads.

"Watch it, then!"

"It's not solid," Kitty protested. She bent over, scooping de material. "Look. It looks like charcoal or something." John brought de light close. De stuff in her hand was black wit' a greyish sheen. Kitty crushed it between her fingers and de particles drifted away into de dark.

"We cain't go back now," Rogue said, tossing a quick look over her shoulder.

"Why not?"

"Because Ah'm not sure where th' door went."

We snapped our heads around and she was right. We _hadn't_ been walking dat long. Dere should've been a solid rectangle above us, shining bright in comparison t' de darkness where we were standing. It should've stood out like a fucking lighthouse.

"_Merde_," I whispered.

"Look, Ah can go back real quick. It's got ta be up there..."

"No!" I shouted. Instead of echoing like Rogue's voice had before, de sound fell flat and dull. Like de space was folding and expanding around de edges of what we could see. Only dat was impossible. "No one goes off alone." Dere was a long silence. "What is dis place, John?"

"Well how th' hell should I know? Not like they'd put 'secret evil basement' in the orientation materials."

"Shh!" Kitty cautioned. "What was that?"

"What was what?" John snapped.

Den we all heard it. De sound started quiet and low, like de noise of a distant subway train, but den it built into somet'ing dat crystallized into a growl before dying away. Went cold all over. Rogue's hand found my forearm and clamped down hard enough t' make me wince.

"We have ta keep movin'," she said weakly. "There's nothin' else ta do. So up or down?"

We looked up again. Still no door. John spread his fingers and his speck of light flared so dat we could see for an instant. Dere were only five steps t' de bottom.

"Fate, right?" John said glumly.

"Ya sure ya heard somethin' from down here?" Rogue asked me.

I nodded.

We moved forward.

It got colder. So cold dat we could see our breath smoking in de air. Dis was so much worse dan de New England winter I'd complained so bitterly about. It sunk into my bones and made my joints ache. Dere was a short hallway at de bottom of de stairs dat opened out into a room dat felt impossibly large. Wit'out waiting, John's shot his ball of light into de air, somet'ing like dropping a stone down a well just t' see how deep it is. We craned our necks and watched de light get smaller and smaller before winking out altogether.

"How far is your range?" Kitty asked, shaky.

"Better if I don't tell ya." John clicked de lighter and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding t' see even dat small bit of fire. Wit'out speaking, we hurried forward, throwing ourselves through dat awful empty space as quickly as we could. Dere was another hallway on de opposite side and we plunged inside gratefully.

De place was twisted like part of a maze. We walked in silence and by de time we stopped, my face felt numb and raw from de cold and my feet hurt from de distance. De only saving grace was dat we'd been walking pretty much in a straight line, following de twists of de hallway. It would be easy enough t' find our way back. I was finding it hard t' remember why we'd come in de first place.

Dat growling noise glanced past my ears again, playful almost. I shuddered.

"You guys know Theseus?" Kitty breathed.

"As in Greek?" John asked. He sounded tired. Offhand, I wondered how long his strength would hold out. He'd once told me dat it took a fair amount of control and stamina t' make de fire do what he wanted, since fire's naturally chaotic.

"As in Crete. As in Minotaur," Kitty supplied grimly.

"Kitty," Rogue warned.

"But isn't that what this feels like?" she demanded. "Like all those men and women who went off to be killed inside the labyrinth."

"All in all, I'd rather be Theseus," John murmured.

"I'm not sure we get any kind of choice like that."

"Kitty, stop it!" Rogue insisted. Dere was somet'ing wild at de edge of her voice. "Just stop it! There's no maze an' there's no Minotaur an' there's no need ta..."

She was cut off by another growl dat rose t' a roar. It seemed t' go on forever. Felt like de walls were about t' shake down around our ears.

"Look!" Kitty's voice rose above de noise. Figure in de distance. It was glowing sickly, like a phosphorescent mushroom. "Hey!" she shouted, starting forward.

"Kitty!" Rogue snatched at de back of Kitty's shirt, but her fingers were too slow. She took off too.

"Girls got no sense!" John snorted, but den we were all running. John's light winked out and dat black velvet covered us. Felt like I was falling or floating or standing still. Anyt'ing can happen in de dark. De figure moved away from us. Reached out my hand as if dat might catch it or make it stay.

*** * ***

Dear lord, has it really been a month? Gah. Sorry. Anyhow, just to give credit where it's due, the fragmentary quote is from _Macbeth_, my favoritest Shakesperian tragedy, and the inspiration for the 'secret evil basement' is from _House of Leaves_, a truly creepy read.

ishandahalf: Sadly, that scene could be the last of the R/R-ness for awhile. Just 'cause they're not in the most romantic of places right now. But rest assured, I'll get back to the cute stuff that doesn't advance the plot one iota soon.

Lucky439: I don't think a month exactly counts as "soon". Again, I'm so, so sorry!

Tenshi Kanashii: I try to take certain suggestions into account, just as long as they're not too far from what I intend to do anyhow. Your concept of a shower scene is intriguing... ;)

Lace123: I think that's probably the reason I like Kitty too. The smart, peppy girl. I'm a bit like that myself and it's always been kind of a sore subject for me too.

Panther Nesmith: "Action" is always a loaded word to use with anything I write unfortunately. I feel like I don't write action terribly well, but I'm seriously trying over here! I'm also getting a kick out of setting this thing in my hometown because it's like giving a tour and I love playing tourguide (although as far as I know, there are no secret evil basements in DC whatsoever).

Neurotic Temptress: Can you believe I haven't seen X2 yet? _That's_ how busy I've been lately. Sigh. And last week I would have definitely joined you on your perpetual lost mind search. I had a friend in town last weekend and she's all "Let's go to a movie!" and I'm all, "Yay! I haven't been to a movie in, like 2 months! X2!" but she wasn't feelin' it and so we saw "The Matrix" instead, which was kind of a snooze fest IMHO.

Carla & Eileen Blazer: Yay! (imagine me doing the happy squirmy puppy dance) I love hearing from new people! And I swear I'm not usually this bad with the updating and whatnot.

Flyby Stardancer: See my above comment about X2. I am hanging my head in shame here. I am a horribly lax X-fan. And about that, does anyone know when the new season of EVo starts? I hate how cartoon schedules are so frelling flexible (and by "flexible" I mean "utterly random and nonsensical").


	6. vi

Ah'm pretty sure Ah've mentioned somethin' about how, ever since that time on Genosha, Ah don't feel th' cold as much. But in that hallway, chasin' after Kitty while she was chasin' that glowin' will o' th' wisp, Ah felt it. Th' sensation traveled over me in waves. It made me brittle. A glass girl. Like one good punch'd crack me into a million pieces that'd be sharp little fragments like teeth scattered on th' floor.

It was like Ah was movin' underwater. My lungs burned for oxygen an' Ah just felt like Ah couldn't move fast at all. Th' sickly light made th' walls squirm. It was almost like a dream when Ah saw Kitty stretch her arm an' snatch at th' thing. It fell back limply into her arms.

All of a sudden, everythin' snapped to, as if we'd all been on th' end of a giant rubber band that'd been pulled as far as it could go an' then released. Th' glow disappeared an' th' dark settled around us again. Restored ta somethin' that was a helluva lot closer ta normal than Ah'd been before, Ah managed ta find Kitty an' helped her lower th' person ta th' floor. Remy an' John reached us a minute later. They were breathin' syncopation with each other.

"How 'bout some light?" Kitty asked nervously. Now that th' first surge of adrenaline'd worn off, Ah guess she was seein' what a big risk she'd taken.

For once, John didn't protest. Not even a tiny groan, that might've been his right. In th' unsteady glow from his lighter, Ah saw that his face was strained. Tired. My heart trembled at that, but Ah kept my fears ta myself. He was wearin' close ta th' line for this an' Ah didn't know what we'd do if he ran outta strength when we seemed so far from anythin' safe. Felt like we were miles down an' Ah tried not ta think o' anythin' Ah'd read about caves an' explorers goin' crazy, gettin' lost, dyin'.

Remy touched my arm, just above th' elbow, an' swept his thumb along th' joint. "Don't," was all he said, so quiet that only Ah could hear.

"But..."

He shook his head. "Don't."

Ah slid closer ta him an' slipped my arm around his waist. "Don't worry." John's fire wavered an' then righted itself. Kitty knelt on th' ground an' propped th' person against her hands. Th' Minotaur at th' center o' her maze was a boy, not too much older than us, nineteen mebbe, his face dipped in shadow an' his limbs arranged awkwardly.

Everyone edged closer. My stomach clenched.

"Ah know him," Ah admitted, once th' shock wore off.

"_Comment_ (what)?" Remy asked, tightenin' his arm around me.

"Don't hold out on us, love. Who is he?" John managed.

"Hold th' light closer." He did an' we all bent in. Ah knew him th' same incomplete way Ah remembered Mystique playin' games with me or fixin' vegetable soup with mustard powder. It was a flash o' texture an' color. A scattered scene. Another basement. An older child's face floatin' over my head, laughin' because Ah hadn't known what a smurf bite was an' so he'd showed me. Not an evil trick, just th' kind that kids play on each other because they can. My skin stung where th' smurf bit me.

His buzz o' chestnut hair an' his serious dark eyes starin' at me so hard Ah'd been afraid he was drillin' two holes right through my body.

That's when Ah'd gotten scared. Ah pulled against his hand. (His hand! On my skin! But then, my powers hadn't really developed 'till later.) Only, he didn't let go.

"Why's your hair like that?" Ah knew he'd asked. His voice was distorted in my memory, risin' an' fallin' in th' middle o' words, like it was tryin' ta find its reality.

"Why's _your_ hair like that?" Ah'd snapped back before stompin' on his instep as hard as Ah could an' dartin' from his grasp. He didn't make a sound at that, just stood there quietly, scoldin' me without sayin' a word. "What's _wrong_ with you?" Ah'd asked, still keepin' a safe distance between me an' him.

Behind me, footsteps on th' stairs. Bare feet brushin' on carpet. "Graydon!"

"We were playin'," Ah told Mystique.

"You're done now," she'd said, pluckin' him by his upper arm. "Say 'goodbye,'" she ordered.

Shy, my voice failed me an' Ah didn't say anythin'.

Graydon. We place so much importance on a name, but Ah didn't know more than Ah had before. Rememberin' a time Ah'd seen him when we were kids didn't help me ta know why he was lit up like a Roman candle in a horrible pit of a basement on Capitol Hill. But they were expectin' me ta say somethin', right?

"Graydon. That's his name. Graydon. Mystique brought him with her ta Irene's house sometimes."

"What's he, like, doing here? And why was he _glowing_?"

"Time for that later, right," John gritted. "It's not bloody likely we'll find anything else in this pit, so why don't we take him and get a move on."

Remy let go of me an' hoisted Graydon up by his armpits. It took some manuverin' that Ah only saw dimly in John's fadin' light, but he managed ta get th' boy slung down his back. "_Laisser les bons temps rouler_ (let the good times roll)," Ah heard him mutter faintly.

There was a kind o' uncomfortable silence after that, an' John cleared his throat nervously. He touched th' wall lightly with just th' fingertips o' his right hand.

"Not good, right?" Kitty asked, tiltin' her head at him.

"How far y' reckon we can go in th' dark?"

My heart fluttered an' seemed ta jump toward my throat at th' suggestion. Ah swallowed hard. "Far as ya need us ta go."

John's brilliant, relieved smile was more than enough ta disperse my anxiety for awhile. "It's just...I'm..."

"It's okay," Remy said. "We keep one hand t' de wall and everyt'ing's fine."

"Couldn't you..." Kitty burst out, lookin' at Remy.

He shook his head. "Dat's not exactly my power. Can't stop t'ings from exploding forever."

"Oh. Okay." She looked like she wanted ta say somethin' more, but she held herself back at th' last minute.

"Here." Ah maneuvered in front o' Remy, put one hand squarely against th' wall, ignorin' its dry ashiness, an' turned so Ah could twist my fingers into th' fabric of his shirt. "You won't get lost," Ah told him. My smile wobbled at th' last minute.

"Dat's two shirts you've ruined, _douce_ (sweet)," Remy whispered. One corner o' his mouth turned up.

Sometimes ya can forget. Like knowin' that Mystique was my mom, that didn't mean much ta me at first, an' Ah didn't mind th' loss. But those little things Ah'd remembered made it harder somehow. Remy an' Ah weren't th' types for grand gestures an' long speeches, but th' little things caught me up an' made me more grateful for him than anything Ah could imagine. He dipped his head an' grazed my fingers with his lips.

He looked almost illuminated for a minute. Gold veined at th' edges. Beautiful. It was th' last thing Ah saw before John's light snapped out. Up ta that point, we'd been given a reprieve from that terrible growlin', but th' instant th' light was gone it started again. It rolled along th' hallway with us an' when th' wind started, it was even colder than it'd been before, which was impossible. Icy teeth bit into me, like Ah'd be chewed forever an' never swallowed by some terrible thing that Ah couldn't see. It was th' last place ya'd expect English class ta come ta mind, but Ah couldn't help rememberin' Dante an' how th' final punishment in his hell was somethin' along those lines.

*** * ***

Walking carefully in de dark, y' might t'ink dat I'd be contemplating philosophical t'ings, or planning what t' do when we got out, but t' be honest, de blindness made it hard t' t'ink at all. Not'ing behind, not'ing ahead. After awhile, felt like dere wasn't anyt'ing under or above. De only t'ings dat kept me moving were Graydon's weight on my back and Rogue's fingers in my shirt. Was so cold, even her small contact felt like a little sun in comparison t' de rest of de air.

"Everyone okay?" someone gasped. Might have been Kitty, but de sound was so distorted and de voice so strained it was hard t' tell.

"Fine," I said, shocked by how thin and reedy my voice was.

At least de growling had finally stopped. Struck me dat mebbe de house didn't want t' give Graydon up. Wondered how Rogue knew him and den I felt a pang at dat. Remembered our talk earlier 'bout Anne and John and using people for your own advantages. Not dat I was jealous, but I'd seen de way she looked at him. Far away and distracted and den she'd smiled, just a little -- some happy memory? Looking at her, I could tell dere was a door dat opened somewhere inside. She could see Graydon t'rough dat door and none of de rest of us could. Didn't make me jealous, but I knew dat I couldn't ever really know what she was seeing.

Got so wrapped up dat I almost missed it when Rogue's hand left my shirt. A broken cry.

Cursed myself for not paying better attention. "Y' okay, _beb_?"

"Stairs," she gasped.

"Stairs?" Kitty echoed.

"Dey weren't here before."

"That surprise you?" John put in quietly.

Shook my head automatically before I remembered dat no one could see anyt'ing. "_Non_. But what d' we do?"

"Wait," Rogue cautioned. "Someone grab onto me. Ah don't want ta get lost."

"Hold on a sec." Kitty brushed by me in de dark.

No one spoke for de next few, anxious minutes. Heard someone breathing hard. Finally, de word just filled my mouth and popped like a bubble over my lips. "Rogue?"

"Ah'm here." Her hands fumbled briefly over my hips before coming t' rest on my forearms.

"Careful, _chére_." Almost laughed, I was so relieved just t' hear her. She squeezed my arms reassuringly.

"Th' stairway goes all th' way across. Seems like th' hallway got wider too. Twenty feet mebbe."

"Well that's our decision made then, isn't it?" John said.

"Seems like," Kitty agreed.

No one moved for de longest time, den Rogue slid her hand t' de front of my shirt and tugged gently. "C'mon," she whispered. "We can go for sushi when we're home."

"I love sushi!" Kitty exclaimed softly.

"So do I, sweetheart," John said. His voice sounded weak and it made me wonder how far he'd taxed himself t' offer us light for as long as he had. "I know th' best place for it."

"If dey'll let us back in," I managed t' tease. "Dey might pack up shop if dey see us coming."

In de dark, dere was somet'ing dat sounded like a cough. I knew dat it was John laughing and I felt better immediately.

We started up de stairs, but it was like before. Surfaces seemed t' tremble and breathe under us, expanding into de space we couldn't see. My shoulders had numbed from holding Graydon's weight dere and de rest of me had numbed in de violent cold. Don't know how long we'd been climbing, slowing until we barely were moving at all. Seemed like forever.

John's voice came weak t'rough de dark. "We need ta stop."

Graydon stirred on my back. "_Bon_. T'ink ol' sleeping beauty here might be waking up."

"Kiss 'im, Rogue. See what he does," John offered. Normally, I would've been pissed, but I was far too distracted by how fragile he sounded, my own complaining muscles and de movements of de boy draped down my back t' bother wit' a response.

"Not funny, John," Rogue's speech sounded bitten off.

"God!" Dere was a dull thump and I guessed dat Kitty'd sat down.

Lay Graydon as carefully as I could across de stairs and collapsed next to him. Every ounce of energy seemed t' drain out of my body.

"I'm sorry," John said quietly.

"For what?" Rogue asked.

"Never thought that anything like this would happen. We're just not prepared..."

"Well, _I'm_ not prepared to, like, roll over and _die_ either! And I'm not prepared to sit here and listen to your misplaced guilt!"

"Kitty," John's voice was rough and barely above a whisper.

"What?" she sounded more shocked dan angry now and I realized it was de first time he'd ever called her by her first name.

"I'm not going to," he swallowed, "give up, right?"

"Good. So I'm not going to kick your ass."

Was surprisingly easy t' lay dere, even despite de cold, we were all so tired. We found each other in de dark, pressing into one another's sides for warmth. "Someone at least whistle!" Kitty burst out finally.

"_Comment_ (what)?"

"She means it's like a bloody graveyard down here."

"Kitty..." Rogue warned. Realized wit' a trace of humor dat she had a distinct tone of voice set aside for when she was exasperated wit' her former roommate.

"She's right," John said dully. "Isn't she now? I feel like we've all been buried."

Dere was only one t'ing t' do den. Pursed my lips, stiff wit' cold and exhaustion, and whistled. Was a limping, hollow sound, but it seemed t' fill up de air. One of those tricks of space dat'd been happening all along. Struggled over de first few bars of 'Cat's in de Cradle' until a deep groan from beside me brought me up short.

"Graydon?" Rogue ventured tentatively.

"Who are you?" he croaked.

*** * ***

_Much_ quicker with the update this time! Hooray! (See? There's hope for me yet...)

Eileen Blazer: It'll take more than a little weirdness to get the best of 'em for sure, don't worry!

Niteflite: We'll just have to wait and see what happens when the lights come on. Right now, I'm enjoying their time in complete and utter soul-crushing darkness...

Panther Nesmith: Before July! Rock! I hope someday to be as good at writing action as a boy having sex for the first time. [dreams]

Alwaysright: Hey, thanks so much for the linkage. Sighs. I read somewhere that they've showed the last three eps of season 3 overseas (dammit) and that Rogue kisses Remy in the two part season finale. Why must they torture me with R&R-ness that is oh-so out of reach? Why?!

ishandahalf: Yes, not romantic, but I can try to sneak in hints here and there (I just can't help myself, I'm a sick girl...) Maybe someday I'll develop a soundtrack for all my fics. Or maybe my life generally. There would be many slide whistles to signify each and every time I ran into something and/or fell over.

Jean1: See, this has always been my main problem with Xavier's. It seems so silly after a while. Because it's a _school_ and eventually everyone must move on from their alma mater (as an alum, I know whereof I speak). And plus, Kitty seems to have pretty much total control of her powers, so what is she there for, truly?

Lace123: St. John and Kitty are really okay with each other (but don't tell them I said that, they'd probably kill me...) they just got of on the totally wrong foot. Y'know who fills me with creepy horror? Graydon. No wonder the kid's messed up, a name like that...

pennytree: Thank you! I'm always so flattered when someone takes the time to read the entire series. Also awestruck. Because I'm writing piecemeal, but taken as a whole, this is one long mofo. I've really come to care for characters in the course of writing these things who I didn't give much thought to previously. John and Kitty were never really my favorites, but now I can't imagine not writing about them.


	7. vii

When you're so young, logic twists in strange ways. Graydon an' Ah played tag an' everythin' was base ta me. All Ah had ta do ta be safe was touch it an' yell ("Base! Base! Base!"). An' Graydon, usin' all th' gravity that bein' three years older would allow him, would try ta explain, patiently an' logically, why what Ah was touchin' wasn't the predetermined base at all. An' also, why Ah was out.

Ah'd lost every single time.

Graydon never asked Mystique ta mediate things for him any o' those times, only wrinkled his forehead in a grownup way an' explained things. Even if he had ta try th' explanation eight different ways. He never raised his voice ta me.

Stretchin' my arm over Remy's stomach, Ah brushed Graydon's hand with my gloved one. In th' dark, he jumped, like one o' those dogs that's been hit too much in its life ta ever be quite normal. "It's okay," Ah murmured, not sure if he could even hear me.

"Who are you?" he repeated.

"It's Rogue," Ah said, not even sure if he'd remember me at all. "When we were kids, your mom would bring you sometimes."

"My mom?" he asked it dully, workin' over th' words like they were a curse. Growin' up with Mystique full time musta been somethin' else. Ah didn't like ta think of it.

"It's okay if ya don't remember me."

"I remember," he said faintly. His voice was thick.

"Not t' break up th' reunion, then, but d'you have any idea how to get out?" John asked pointedly.

"They made this place for me," Graydon explained. "Because I was a freak. But I made some of the rest of it myself." It was pretty obvious that his mind was wandrin'. "It never went down so far before. Like roots." That weird phosphorescent glow started up again, dimmer this time, but seemin' like absolute sunshine after th' pitch dark from before. Ah could see that Remy, John an' Kitty were all sittin' up, watchin' everythin' Graydon did with exhausted fascination. Their faces were covered in dirty streaks that looked gray in th' strange light.

He pressed his palm flat against th' wall an' bright streaks veined out from underneath his hand. They grew longer an' wider until they met. At first, th' light burned my eyes an' Ah blinked furiously against it. Even when Ah got more used ta it, Ah still had ta shade my eyes with my hand an' peek out under my lashes. In th' light there was another stairway leadin' up. Ah coulda cried, Ah was so relieved. We all scrambled ta our feet, pitchin' forward on tired legs.

"Come on, Graydon!" Ah shouted. His face was pinched. "We cain't leave ya down here." 

"This is mine." Th' way he explained it, there was that same calm as when he was explainin' th' rules in tag.

"Not anymore," Ah told him firmly, grabbin' hold o' his wrist an' takin' him with me. There was a loud noise behind us, like a hundred trees fallin' over all at once. Somethin' scraped my heel an' bounced off.

"It doesn't want to let me go," he told me.

Ah ignored him, pushin' up toward what Ah hoped was freedom. It was hard ta fly an' th' space seemed ta me ta be gettin' longer an' lower. Stretchin' like taffy. Ah gritted my teeth an' forced myself ta fly faster, skimmin' th' ground almost. Ah was movin' so quick that th' wind stung in my eyes. Th' light that'd seemed so welcomin' an' wonderful a few moments before just glowed hotter an' hotter. Th' walls turned bright red like embers. Sweat pricked on my skin an' got blown dry almost instantly. Graydon fretted his fingers at my wrist, tryin' ta free himself.

"Stop," Ah managed ta gasp before somethin' hit me hard, square in th' middle o' my back an' sent me slammin' into th' floor. A stair caught me smack under th' chin an' although Ah didn't bleed from it, my vision fuzzed with stars for a second. Th' steps felt sticky, as if they were meltin'. My legs refused ta move at first an' Ah felt a sob rise from deep in my stomach. Only Ah never let it out. Instead, Ah held tight ta Graydon an' staggered upright, slippin' a little. Th' stairs felt like they were gettin' less solid every second. 

"Ro..." Kitty's voice seemed so far away. An' th' end o' my name was swallowed up in a terrible crashin' sound. Ah'd never moved so fast before. Th' ground was collapsin' under me an' my legs were movin', burnin' muscles. Ah dashed, takin' th' narrow stairs three an' four at a time, pushin' myself until, at last, Ah felt th' ground crumble for good an' Ah jumped, spreadin' my body out like a cat does. Too tired for words or flight, pullin' Graydon alongside me, his weight danglin' from my right hand. Ah screamed, sure that if Ah was gonna hit th' bottom of th' house Ah'd go out in style, with an angry noise in my mouth.

No one was more surprised than me when Ah hit th' slate floor in th' moonlit kitchen. Two-thirds o' me was still hangin' over th' edge an' Graydon's weight was draggin' me down fast. Ah remember thinkin' what a funny way it was for everythin' ta end. That was right before someone's hand circled my upper arm an' another caught me under th' shoulders. Ah looked up into Remy's face. Th' dirt Ah'd seen before had combined with sweat ta make muddy patches. He smiled.

"Almost dere," he whispered.

But then, Ah could see his arms shakin' an' Ah could see Kitty an' John behind him, holdin' on so he wouldn't fall, even though they were both so tired they seemed ta tremble in my vision. Reminded me of that fairytale with the sticky goose an' th' chain o' people cemented together. Th' melancholy princess up in her tower, laughin' at th' sight. With effort, Ah managed ta raise Graydon higher outta that deep, dark hole. He'd passed out again an', somehow, seein' that he was dead weight made him heavier than he'd been before.

"Get him," Ah gasped.

"If one of us lets go t' get him, sweetheart, the other two won't be able to hold you up, yeah?" John panted.

"Th' three o' you cain't hold us both forever. Please."

Reluctantly, John detached himself from th' end o' th' line. Ah lifted Graydon up as far as Ah could an' John caught hold o' him. Kitty an' Remy slid forward on th' tiles.

"Remind me to live in a one-storey house," Kitty managed weakly.

"Fly, beb," Remy whispered. He sounded desperate. Sweat rolled down his chin ta splash invisibly in th' dimness.

Flyin' is like any other physical activity: ya just cain't do it when you're bone tired. But Ah knew he was right. None of 'em were in any state ta pull me all th' way out. Ah closed my eyes an' then kicked at th' air as hard as Ah could. For a terrible moment Ah wasn't doin' anythin' but fallin'. Dizzy. Ah wasn't ready ta give up. My muscles ached an' shook. My limbs flailed. So it wasn't th' most graceful thing when Ah burst outta th' doorway an' landed hard against Remy's chest. He toppled under me. His arms tightened an' his breath stirred my hair.

About then, th' house alarm started ta ring shrilly. Ah rolled onto my back, th' slate feelin' blissfully cool against my sweaty skin, even through my shirt, an' Ah started ta laugh. Even though my stomach muscles hurt with it.

"Base," Ah croaked.

*** * ***

Dere's a knack t' getting arrested.

De knack is not t' care one way or de other. Dis is more complicated dan it sounds. Back when I worked wit' Magneto, those days dat seem more and more like somet'ing I dreamed up t' keep myself entertained, I'd already perfected de fine art. Walking dat line between arrogance and deference. Respect is de most important t'ing. Wit' cops or wit' megalomaniacs de principle t'ing is t' present yourself strongly enough dat subduing you seems like an accomplishment worth mentioning, but not so strongly dat dey become resentful. De balance of power must be maintained between de authority and de transgressor.

And someday, all dis and 35 cents will buy me more dan a phone call. Ought t' write a book and just wait patiently for de honorary degrees t' roll in. T'ieving 101: De Philosophy of Larceny by Msr. Remy LeBeau.

John was looking a little green around de gills by de time we'd been tossed into de holding cell. Dey charged us wit' breaking and entering for good measure, but didn't have space other dan de holding area. Typical. Graydon was sitting in de corner and de sulky look on his face wasn't doing much for my good mood. Kitty and Rogue were off wit' de rest of de women.

I slid onto de bench next t' John and tapped his knee lightly. "Y' okay?"

He rubbed a hand t'rough his hair, his fingertips gray wit' traces of fingerprinting ink. "Knackered. Bloody knackered. Nothing that a month of sleep won't fix." He tossed an annoyed look in Graydon's direction. "What's with Little Lord Fauntlroy over there?"

"I told you not to take me with you," he spat.

Meanwhile, we were attracting all sorts of de wrong kind of attention from everyone around us. I stood and grabbed Graydon's arm roughly. "Mebbe y' want t' ret'ink what you're saying, mec (dude)." After all we'd risked, de urge t' hit him was nearly overpowering.

He set his jaw and stuck his chin out stubbornly. "Go ahead."

Released his arm. "Not worth it."

"Y' said they built that place for you?" John asked.

"Not all of it. Some of it was me. I wanted to hide and it let me do that. I controlled it."

Couldn't help but wonder at what might make a person feel dat dey needed t' retreat so completely from de world. No matter what problems I'd had wit' de eyes, not'ing was worth such complete isolation. Knew dat whatever had happened t' make Graydon like dat must've been somet'ing terrible.

"Yeah?" John breathed gently.

Graydon's eyes were hard. Boring into us. "I've never been anything except a test subject to anyone I've ever met. My parents waited years, but I never let them see what I could do. They tossed me out because I wasn't useful to them. I was a fucking defective tool."

T'ought briefly of Jean-Luc, but dere was no comparison in de end. For all dat my father was a taskmaster, dere was always dat grudging love. Affection was a liability, dat much he knew, but dat didn't stop him from feeling it. Couldn't t'ink of anyt'ing t' say and I looked at John helplessly.

"I remember Rogue," Graydon said, trembling over de words. "There weren't many kids I was allowed to see. I remember her funny hair and how she didn't know what a smurf bite was." He lowered his head and his eyes were shadowed for a moment. Den he looked up. "How do we get out of here?"

Allowed myself de luxury of a good laugh. "Dat was a quick turnaround."

"I don't like being penned up." Looked at him questioningly. "Involuntarily!" he insisted defensively.

"I'm not the expert like Remy," John piped up, "but isn't it better ta wait this one out?"

"Don't t'ink I like what you're implying, mon ami."

"What d'you think I'm implying, mon ami?" John shot back neatly, doing his usual hatchet job on my accent.

"Dat I've been caught more dan you."

"Meant ta do more than imply."

"If not for de Federal prison system, we never would've met." Threw my arm around John's shoulder and squeezed until he squirmed.

"Thrill's gone, darlin'," he drawled.

De door t' de holding cell opened. "You three." The guard jerked his chin at us. "Your bail's been posted."

"Did you arrange this?" Graydon asked wit' a certain grudging respect.

"Non."

"Then who..."

"De suspense might kill us," I said solemnly. "Good t'ing it won't last long."

*** * ***

It's been an ugly couple weeks and if there's a moral to the past 14 days, the moral is: "I hate floppies". After accidentally deleting one story (not this one) and then having another disk die on me (why, yes this story WAS the only thing on it, how perceptive of you!) I've come to severely mistrust the little buggers. Boo.

Oh, and I may as well give advanced warning: I'll be on vacation starting July 11. I'm pretty sure I'll have another chapter out by then, but I just thought I'd let y'all know. I'm sure I'll be writing, but I don't think they're so much with the internet cafes up in the Norwegian fjords.

**Lucky439:** More? I gotcher "more" right here! You like?

**Christy S:** Your suggestion is duly noted. I'm fairly reluctant to make anyone a total villain on principle. If I have a credo, that's it. I'm intrigued by Graydon generally, his relationship with Rogue specifically. That he's fairly underdeveloped as a comics character (among others coughPyrocough) only makes him more fun to mess with.

**ishandahalf:** I _constantly_ fall over and run into stuff. I've got a big ol' scar on my left knee from where I tripped myself with my own jumprope when I was 8. And a slightly smaller one on my right knee from where I banged myself creekwalking when I was 12. I've walked into poles (no foolin', _poles_), run face-first into the side of a pool (but _that_ was only half my fault!) and I've been hit with a cricket bat. It's honest-to-goodness comedy gold at this point...

**this is sex:** Thanks!

**Chaos:** FF.net has been freaking out more than usual lately. You wouldn't believe how many _days_ it took me to even post the last chapter! Augh. And then who looks like a Mary-come-lately/no-posty? I'm glad you're enjoying it though.

**Panther Nesmith:** I'm honestly surprised when people know about Graydon. I guess he was kind of a big deal on the dearly-departed old X-Men series. Since it was so Wolvie-centric and all (not that I have a thing against Wolvie, I'm just sayin'). Anyhow, I'm hoping to take him in interesting directions.

**Lace123:** Graydon is Mystique and _Sabertooth's_ son (ew...Victor Creed, just...eew). IIRC, they were convinced that any son of theirs would be a super mutant. So they brought him up (in part) with Rogue. However, he turned out to be disappointingly normal. But superbad childhood = founder of anti-mutant hate group.

**Eileen Blazer:** I had no idea that Graydon (of all people) would be this popular. I'm pretty selfish as a writer and I like to write about the stuff that interests me, but it's great to know that others share my interests as well.

**Flyby Stardancer:** I didn't know about Gloria! How interesting. I'm guessing they didn't do too much with that? Mystique is like, supermom! Only somewhat evil and neglectful, I guess. Who would've thought she, of all people, would have so many kids?

**Yumiko:** Um...ta da? Your anxiousness to know what comes next warms my cynical heart.


	8. viii

Ah was beginnin' ta think o' th' girl like a bad habit. Hard ta shake. Although Ah wasn't about ta decide one way or th' other 'bout her. Just kept my mouth shut an' my ears open. Quickest way ta learn.

Her hair was limp an' fell in her eyes when she tried ta look straight on at us. Even if it was pretty obvious that she really only cared about John. But she started back like she'd been hit when she caught sight of Graydon.

"What?" she asked weakly. "I didn't realize that..."

Ah reached out an' gave her a little pinch. She flinched, but snapped her mouth shut.

Curiosity was a persistent burn inside me. Ah wondered how she knew we were here. How she'd gotten th' money for our bail in th' first place. Why she was doin' all that she was. Ah could feel th' questions pilin' up in my closed mouth. Ah sealed my lips tight ta keep 'em from pourin' out.

Anne blinked slowly. "The FOH is willing to believe that this was all some horrible misunderstanding. They'll drop the charges as long as you'll consent to be interviewed."

Graydon tugged at my sleeve, low, where Anne couldn't see. Ah looked at him an' he mouthed 'no.'

"What happens if we don't play nice wit' others?" Remy asked softly an' distinctly. No one has an attitude in quite th' same way he does. Gets under everyone's skin like a damn splinter. Gets under mine sometimes, but right then Ah was grateful for his cool head an' his uncanny ability ta piss people off.

"You'd better just come with me," Anne said, not soundin' at all sure of herself.

We all exchanged looks, but what else was there ta do, really? Ah saw that Remy was tiltin' his head so that his eyes were shadowed from her. If she'd bothered ta look at all. Th' girl's perpetual condition seemed ta be 'rattled.'

"I'll explain everything later. I promise," Anne added hastily.

"_Mon chu_ (my ass)," Remy mumbled.

We followed her into th' street. She'd slipped her hand into th' crook o' John's arm an' he looked ta me like he was doin' his best not ta notice. His shoulders were rigid an' when he turned ta look at her, Ah could see how tightly his teeth were clamped together. Couldn't blame him, really. If it'd been me, Ah'm not sure Ah could've kept from screamin'. She was such an odd little thing. Uncomfortable. Bein' around her too much gave me th' cold chills.

Once we were a good distance from th' police station, she whirled on Graydon, eyes blazin'. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. Her thin fingers twisted into John's arm an' he grimaced.

"It wasn't my choice," Graydon explained calmly. "They brought me out."

"Do you know what you've done?" she asked, her voice risin' shrilly. "The house is _gone_, Graydon Creed."

"Gone?" he echoed dully. In an instant, all th' life drained outta his face. It's still hard for me ta think about it, but that horrible place had been Graydon's home.

"It needed you. How could you leave?"

"I didn't _want_ to. But I had to let them go." He ran his eyes over each of us. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't bring the house back! We thought you understood that the organization can't survive without you, even for a moment. I don't know what we'll do, now that the house is gone." Her lower lip trembled.

Remy rolled his eyes, but only a little. "Sure you'll think of somet'ing," he offered insincerely.

Anne raised her free hand an' brushed Graydon's cheek with her fingertips. He closed his eyes. "You should come back with me, okay?" she asked gently. Anxious, Ah drew Graydon from her reach. Ah couldn't say for sure what Ah was doin', but Ah didn't like her touchin' him. Her hands looked clammy an' cold an' pale, like somethin' grown underground. After that, her eyes got real narrow an' she looked at me.

"Stop it!" Kitty insisted, steppin' between us. "I'm not really sure what's going on here, but I don't really care either." She closed her eyes and sucked in a sharp breath. "Right now I'm tired and dirty and hot and can we just go home?"

"She's got a point," John said, wormin' his way out of Anne's grasp an' puttin' a friendly arm around Kitty's shoulders. "It'll be a lot easier ta get everything sorted in the morning. After we've had a chance ta sleep."

Kitty's eyes got real round. "You're agreeing with me?"

"And what's wrong with that, then?"

"Not much, except I figure it's got to be one of the signs of the apocalypse."

John dropped his arm.

*** * ***

Woke up from a dead sleep t' find Rogue's side of de bed empty and de soft tumble of voices coming from de living room. Sunlight spilled across de sheets and so I figured it had t' be 10 at least. Swung my legs over de side. It'd felt good t' be able t' sleep so long. Wit' all dat happened, it felt like I hadn't slept in a week when, in reality, it'd only taken a day and a half for everyt'ing t' happen.

Sat up straighter and winced. Felt like my whole body was one tender bruise. _Mebbe Rogue should kiss it t' make it better._ Smiled.

I stood stiffly and made my way t' de bedroom door. A quick glance showed me dat Anne and Kitty were still asleep. Kitty had curled on de loveseat, but in de night she'd gotten unwound. One leg was thrown over de overstuffed arm, de other splayed across de coffee table. Her heel rested in de middle of an old copy of de Weekly World News.

Rogue and Graydon were in de kitchen. Talking. Tamped down de feelings dat rose inside me before I could quite tell what dey were. De two were so absorbed in conversation dat dey didn't hear me coming.

"It just seems impossible," Rogue was saying. "Neither one of 'em are stupid 'bout stuff like that."

Graydon shrugged. "But I didn't want them to know. Why would I?" A pause. "Think of it as being layered. And if you work hard enough, you can switch the order of the layers and bury things you don't want people to find."

Rogue opened de refrigerator and pulled out de carton of grapefruit juice. She poured a glass for Graydon and one for herself. Downed it in one gulp. "Ah wouldn't even begin ta know how ta do that."

"I bet I could teach you."

"Really?" she asked breathlessly. "Would ya?"

Graydon and I stepped forward at de same time. Rogue's eyes settled on me.

"Remy!" she exclaimed happily in a way dat made one of de tight knots in my chest come untied.

"Shh," I cautioned her, jerking my thumb back toward de living room. Couldn't keep from smiling though.

She laughed quietly and hugged me tightly before planting a kiss on my cheek. Instantly hated myself for those t'oughts from before. For de way dat jealousy sometimes got a stranglehold on my better instincts.

"Morning," I said, propping my chin in her hair. She was warm and smelled like de honey scented shower gel I'd given her for her birthday.

"Ah made coffee," she said, her voice muffled by de fact dat her lips were resting close t' my chest.

"_Ca c'est bon_ (that's good)," I told her gratefully. Rogue's specialty was coffee. Somet'ing she'd picked up from Alistar at Ben's. It was good and rich. Dark as midnight. Smelled like heaven.

"Here." Wit'out untangling herself from me, she shuffled us t' de counter, and arranged my coffee one-handed. She knew how I liked it by now -- splash of milk, no sugar. I knew dat she didn't really like coffee, but she'd learned how t' make it because she felt guilty dat I was de one t' do cooking all de time. I knew dat when she did drink it, it was wit' at least a third milk and enough sugar t' send a normal person into insulin shock.

"I think I'll go see if the others are up yet," Graydon said. Tell de truth, I'd forgotten all about him.

"Okay," Rogue agreed. She smoothed her hand down my arm and suddenly coffee didn't seem so important anymore. Looked down t' find her squinting intently into my face.

"What?" I rubbed my free hand over my hair.

"Somethin's wrong."

"Not'ing's wrong."

"Uh uh. Don't ya even _try_ ta lie ta me, Msr. Remy LeBeau. What is it?"

Figured I might as well come clean. "It's Graydon," I admitted quickly. "Can't help it, _chére_. I know it's crazy, but dere's somet'ing dat..." Cut off because damn it if she wasn't _laughing_.

"Oh, Remy," she gasped between chuckles. "Ya don't even _know_." Scowled at her. She calmed down enough t' offer me a brilliant smile dat made my heart beat a little faster. "Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

She squeezed my waist. "Like _that_. Remy, Graydon's...well, he's my brother in a way. Same as Kurt."

"_Comment_ (what)?"

"He's Mystique's son. Her's an' Sabretooth's. They figured any son o' theirs would have ta be a mutant an' a pretty powerful one too."

"Graydon _is_ a mutant," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but they don't know that. Graydon hid his mutation from 'em." She looked thoughtful and sad. "All they did ta try an' bring out his powers so they could use 'em...it wasn't like they cared 'bout him at all."

Even though I knew it was wrong t' feel relief at dat time, I still couldn't help it. "I'm sorry, _chére_."

She shook her head, den tilted her head into de crook of my neck. "So'm Ah."

An amused snort brought me out of de daze I'd lulled into. "Ya never stop."

Rolled my head in John's direction and gave him de most malevolent look I could manage. "Mmm."

"What d'ya say to a bit of breakfast? Or is it lunch?"

"Dis an offer or an order?"

"Little of both, actually."

"Why don't y' get Kitty t' help instead?"

"I would, but th' girl's having herself a bit of a lie-in."

"Hey!" Kitty exclaimed from de living room. She burst into de kitchen breathlessly. "When did _you_ get up?" she demanded.

"I stand corrected, love," John replied mildly. "And I could use a hand since Remy's determined ta be useless."

Caught off balance, all Kitty said was, "Oh."

Guided Rogue t'rough de living room and it was fairly amazing how much de bedroom door cut out most of de sounds from de rest of de apartment.

*** * ***

**Lucky 439:** You're always the first to review! And always with such enthusiasm! It warms my black little heart.

**Lace123:** Admittedly, I'm...tinkering...with Graydon's character by giving him powers. But, hey, it's not like Marvel's given him loads of backstory or nothin'. And Anne posting bail on behalf of the FOH? Dun dun duuun.

**ishandahalf:** I was pseudo-crippled by a girl on the Metro over the weekend (kicked me in the shin and then stomped on my instep...gah) and thought immediately of the falling down and running into things club. And then I thought of a supremely funny book I read recently called, "The Idiot Girl's Action Adventure Club". And then I laughed like a monkey being hit with the crazy stick. Good stuff. I am really going to the Norwegian fjords. And Stockholm. And Helsinki. All in two weeks. All starting Friday. Eep. I should probably be packing right now.

**Panther Nesmith:** Sooo much of what I know about Marvel is through study. Because, really, no matter when you started getting into the Marvel-verse there's bound to be backstory. And Marvel (to my knowledge) hasn't done anything along the lines of DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths to reset their continuity and backstories. Sigh. Also, I should stick to rewritable CDs I think. Booo floppies.

**Jean1:** ITA about Graydon! Being raised (in part) with Rogue and yet turning out so differently would have been a fascinating kind of parallel. I'm sad that they didn't do much but make him into a zealot. Because even zealots can be multifaceted. 

**Christy S:** More Remy jealousy! But I couldn't let the poor guy twist in the wind. And someone had to set him straight. I want to do lots with Graydon too. We'll just have to see how long he wants to stick around. He's squirrelly.

**Susanna de Silva:** I sometimes find that I'm _more_ excited if I miss loads of chapters, just because reading everything as one continuous strand is fun. Hi to **Ryoko**! Jealousy is so interesting, because it's so irrational. I like Remy to be slightly irrational sometimes. Because he's usually Mr. I've-got-everything-totally-under-control.


	9. ix

Hooray! I'm back from vacation, and with a nice, shiny new part too. Oh, and this chapter? Kind of a strong PG-13.

*** * ***

As trite as it is ta say, life goes on. Th' clock ticked over into afternoon an' Remy had ta leave for work. He'd forgotten all about it an' fallen asleep. Sprawled halfway across my body, his face was mashed into my shoulder an' each breath tickled on my neck. Lookin' down at him, Ah felt a surge o' protectiveness. He talked such a good game that ya could forget how young he was. Ah silently resolved ta try an' keep that in mind more in th' future, at th' same time, Ah raised my free leg an' poked his calf with my toe.

He muttered somethin' an' settled back into sleep. Ah poked him again, this time aimin' for a place Ah'd found ta be particularly sensitive.

He jumped an' opened one malevolent eye. "Dere are some advantages t' sleeping alone," he complained, voice heavy with sleep.

"Name three," Ah replied lightly.

He rolled onto his back an' seemed ta consider th' demand for a bit before tickin' points off on his fingers. "One: no poking."

"So ya've said."

"Two: no blanket hogging."

_That_ was uncalled for. "Ah never have!" Ah laughed.

"_Non_," he admitted reluctantly, grinnin'.

"So, what's th' third?"

"Can't t'ink of one."

"Hmm," Ah said, mock-serious. "Seems like ya only have two. An' one's made up."

All of a sudden, he was on top o' me, cradled neatly between my hips. He put his elbows on either side o' my head an' leaned down 'till there was barely any space between us at all. Our bodies pressed together in places an' there was a kind o' buzzin' under my skin, like electricity or a swarm o' particularly active bees wherever they touched. He kissed my neck an' then lightly traced th' pulse point there with his tongue. Ah shivered.

"Ya've got ta work."

"_Comment_ (what)?"

"Don't ya have work today?" Ah was doin' better with th' whole "form a rational thought" thing now that he'd pulled away a little. Ah ran a hand through his uneven hair. "Let me fix this for ya later, okay?"

"Mmm," he replied, eyes half-closed. Ah shifted against him an' he made a noise in th' back o' his throat halfway between a sigh an' a groan. "Not. helping," he gritted.

"Sorry," Ah apologized insincerely before hookin' my feet under his ankles, which, o' course, moved our bodies again.

Th' second time th' sound was mutual.

"Rogue," Remy's voice was thick, but there was a note o' warnin' in it too. He slid off me in a certain way that made me feel like Ah was suddenly boneless from head ta foot. "Don't start somet'ing y' can't finish, _chère_." He stood an' rummaged through our dresser for his work clothes.

My eyes were hot with anger. Frustration at th' situation. How had Ah ever thought ta have someone like him without _havin'_ him? Ah clenched my fists. "Ah'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." His voice was muffled through his shirt. "It'll be okay, _neh_?"

"Yeah," Ah agreed, distracted by th' way his muscles moved under his skin. He freed himself from his shirt an' pulled his bike shirt on over his head.

"I'll be home for dinner. Don't let Anne take Graydon anywhere."

"Ah won't."

He dropped a kiss in my hair, grabbed his messenger bag an' was out th' door. An' even before Ah had time ta dwell on anythin', Kitty came boundin' in an' settled crosslegged in th' middle o' the unmade bed.

"Get up a second," Ah said. She did an' Ah snapped th' sheets expertly into place. Tuckin' tight hospital corners at th' bottom. Folded th' blanket. We fluffed th' pillows together in silence.

"Uh oh," she observed once we'd finished an' sat down again.

"'Uh oh' what?"

"You're never this anal unless there's something on your mind."

Ah frowned at her. "O' course there's somethin' on my mind! We've got a runaway x-man an' a livingroom full o' th' Friends o' Humanity."

Kitty shook her head so energetically her hair fell in her eyes. "Nah." She tucked th' hair behind her ears an' picked at the tucked-in corner on her side o' th' bed. "You're _really_ never this anal unless it's boy-related and stuff."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes. "Jeez, just because you thought I didn't notice... You, like, cleaned _both_ sides of the room when Scott and Jean got together. Before that, you organized your CDs by category when he asked Taryn to the dance."

"And alphabetically," Ah added sullenly. We both looked at each other sheepishly an' burst into laughter. Ah laughed until my stomach hurt an' Ah had ta clutch my sides. Until Ah felt like Ah was splittin' in two. There's a word for that. Ah picked it up from Remy a little after we first met. "That's _un bon pomeè_ (a good laugh)."

"I guess you really..."

"Ah really do."

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm happy then." Silence. "What d'you think about John?"

"John?"

"Yeah." There was a faint blush on Kitty's cheeks.

"Ah think th' more important question is: what _d'ya_ think about John?"

Ah had her squirmin' right then. "He...kissed me."

Raised my fingers ta cover my mouth so she wouldn't notice me smilin'. "When?"

"When we were making lunch. Afterwards."

"And...?"

"And I don't know! It's confusing!"

"Uh huh."

Kitty glared at me. "You're not helping! You think this is funny!"

"Ah can help an' think it's funny at th' same time though." Ah waited a bit, but it didn't seem like she was about ta say anythin' else. "Where's Graydon?"

"He's in the livingroom with Anne. John said he'd watch them."

"Good. Could ya get your notes for me?" Ah stood an' smoothed my clothes as much as Ah could. Not that anyone would care or anythin', just that it made me feel more prepared. Ah was ready as Ah'd ever be for Graydon's first lesson.

*** * ***

As de days of spring became fewer and fewer, I'd started t'inking of my shower at de end of de day wit' an intensity usually reserved for lovers. Was a nice t'ing t' be so active, de exciting feeling of sweat blown dry by de wind as I raced from de outskirts of Columbia Heights t' Chinatown t' Dupont Circle and back again. Coming home covered wit' a fine layer of road grit, or scrapes if a car got too close, was fine enough for a time, but as de days stretched longer and de light reached for de summer solstice, dat sweat would just stay wit' me for de whole day. Never drying too much and making my entire body feel like it was sliding loose.

Was hardly fit t' talk t' anyone by de time I got off work dat evening. Tossed my keys on de kitchen table and made straight for de bedroom door. Anne and Graydon, both engrossed in somet'ing on de television, barely looked at me. John, Kitty and Rogue were nowhere t' be seen and, t' be honest, it was a relief. Not fit for human consumption.

Turned de shower on cold, which felt lukewarm against my heated skin. Everyt'ing had a way of fading under de drizzly noise. Every problem a pinprick fraction of its normal size. When I finished, de air felt wonderfully cool. Wrapped a towel firmly around my waist. I'd get dressed and find Rogue, take her up on her offer t' even out my homemade haircut.

Sighed heavily. And dat's all it might ever be. And dat drove me crazy t' t'ink about. Horrible necklace aside, fleeting touches might be all I could hope for. Like a splash of water on de tongue of a thirsty man. In my darker, more hopeless moments I sometimes wondered how long dat might be enough.

She came into de room just as I was wiping down de mirror. Burned a slow trail wit' her eyes, just watching me, not saying anyt'ing. Dere was some strain around her mouth, but I didn't get a chance t' wonder why dat might be because her hands were flat against my stomach and her mouth was on mine like she wanted to breathe me in forever.

Her _hands_. Her _skin_. Wit'out breaking de kiss, I swept my fingers along her neck, but it was smooth. _No collar dis time._ She gasped into my mouth and pressed tight against me. We'd just gotten t' de breathless point where her fingers were skirting de top of my towel and she pulled away. De whining sound coming from my mouth was undignified, but at dat point I was in no position t' care.

"Not dat I'm looking de gift horse in de mouth, _beb_, but you're not Mystique by any chance?"

She laughed and shook her head. Dere was dat honey smell. Licked my lips and was pleased t' see dat she watched wit' interest, her own mouth parted. "Kitty's notes an' Graydon's advice." She sat on de toilet seat and tucked her legs up against her. "Ah got ta thinkin': everyone else can control their powers somehow. Mental or physical. An' so Kitty's helpin' me with th' control an' Graydon's teachin' me some of his tricks."

For de first time, I noticed de fine beads of sweat dat had sprung up at her hairline. When I brushed my finger along dem, I felt her powers. Those powers dat were wild like a force of nature. She took a deep, shaky breath and leaned against my hand. "It's hard for you t' do," I observed lamely, not knowing what t' say in de face of such a project.

She turned her head so dat her lips were against my palm. "Harder not ta do this." My head spun a little at dat. "Harder ta feel like Ah can be taken advantage of because Ah _cain't_ control th' powers. Ever since Jenny.... Ah don't ever want ta hurt my friends again."

Opened my mouth, not really knowing what might come out right den, but a commotion from de livingroom saved me de business of a reply. A crash and muffled voices raised. Rogue unfolded herself slowly.

Good t'ing de scene wasn't as chaotic as it sounded. Don't t'ink I would've been in de mood. Was more of a mind at dat point t' charge t'ings first, ask questions later. Anne was backed into de corner, cowering while John stood in front of her. Couldn't see his face, but de set of his body screamed 'attitude.' Graydon and Kitty hung back behind John.

"Graydon never said..."

"Graydon never said a lot of things, love," John snapped in wicked imitation.

"What's all dis?" I asked him.

"You're a _mutant_!" she spat. "You're all mutants."

"Hey, you're a mutant too," Kitty pointed out.

John turned t' me and shrugged. "She caught me using m' powers. It was bound t' happen," he added defensively.

"Tell him, John," Kitty prompted.

He fully faced me and held up a small object, smiling widely. "S'more?" He held it out.

Kitty made a disgusted noise. "You don't, like, even know the meaning of 'low-profile' do you?"

John's smile became somet'ing more like teeth-baring. "I suppose you're dying t' teach me then?"

"I'm not 'dying' to do _anything_ with you," she snapped.

Meantime, Anne looked like she was trying t' make herself as small as possible. Her eyes were so wide dey seemed t' take up all her face. Stepped between John and Kitty, effectively cutting off dere pointless dispute.

"Why you two so _coo yon_ (stupid)?" Took de rest of de s'more from John and popped it in my mouth. Chewed carefully.

"Try staying cooped up here all day, see how it strikes you," John complained. "We played effing _tiddlywinks_ we were so bored." He pulled de lighter out of his pocket, flicked de flame and den rolled de light between his hands like it was play-doh.

"What are we doing anyway?" Kitty asked, jerking a thumb at Graydon. "We can't just, like, keep him here forever!"

"No," Rogue said. "But we cain't just let the Friends of Humanity get him back either." Dat got a small, outraged noise outta Anne.

"And what happens if I want to go back?" Graydon asked quietly. "What then?"

*** * ***

**ishandahalf:** I don't mind being a crack monkey. My friends say I'm "quirky", but, y'know, monkeys bring the funny. Jealous!Remy is fun to torture, but not TOO much because I happen to like the guy. In terms of the whole "layers" thing, I'm intrigued by the idea that Rogue's powers could be controlled mentally, at least in part. Of all the core x-group, she's the one who I feel has had the least training in that regard. So boo. So I'm correcting that. I also enjoy the fruity coffee, btw. There's this thing at my favorite coffee house in DC...chaipuccino. Chai with an espresso shot. It's 31 flavors of goodness.

**Susannah & Ryoko:** Hello! I'm not the world's biggest Anne fancier myself. I can see how being so fearful of something can turn into hatred pretty darn easily, but still... I don't know how I feel about the Kitty/John dynamic other than it's fun to write.

**Tokyobabe2040:** Thanks!

**Lucky439:** Awww! That's so sweet of you to say. I'm not black-hearted per se, but I have been compared to champagne -- bitter yet bubbly. Months later I STILL don't know if that's a compliment or what...

**Edainme:** I'm a fan of the "the thrill is gone, love" line too. One of these days I hope to get back to the Remy/John fake flirting. It's just way too much fun to write.

**Christa:** Thanks so much! After a brief delay for summer vacation, I'm back in the saddle again, as it were.

**Flyby Stardancer:** Interesting. In some ways, I find the Rogue parts easier for me to write since I'm...y'know...a girl and stuff, but the Remy portions can be more interesting. And I don't know what's up with this chapter. I was feeling uncharacteristically romantic.

**Neurotic Temptress:** Fret not about the reviewing issue. Chalk it up to the delights of the summer sun (although this is only hypothetical on my end...stupid DC, haven't seen the sun in a week! Grumble.) I'm just happy you're still enjoying this thing. Monstrous in size though it has become. Sometimes I think back on writing the first story in this arc and I laugh. LAUGH I tell you! Like I said, I love the banter. Not sure if John and Kitty are too different to make a go of it, but it's just fun to play.

**Christy S:** I try to be as funny as I can. More often than not, I think it just falls flat. I'm MUCH funnier in person, but that's because my eyebrows always go kind of crazy when I talk. Eh. John and Kitty isn't anything I really planned on, nor do I know where it's headed. I'll just be enjoying watching it unfold. And I'm glad you find Graydon at least a little sympathetic. He's still got surprises in store too, I promise.

**Yumiko:** Eeep. I'm making like J.K. Rowling over here. Seriously. I'm reading "Order of the Phoenix" right now and I'm SO confused. Possibly because it's been, oohhh, 2 YEARS since I read #4. Sigh. Sorry. Hope you don't have to go all the way back to the beginning again.

**Panther Nesmith:** You've hit the nail on the head. Graydon IS somewhat of an enigma. But then, so was John until I got my grubby little hands on him! Honestly, Remy was for a looong time too (until the unpleseantness in Antarctica that kind of makes my head hurt). Hooray for comic characters with underdeveloped backstories! I mean, boo!

**Letanica:** Awww shucks. [blushes] I'm puzzled as to why the LeBeau Library hasn't updated recently though... In the meantime, I'm holding my breath until this weekend's episode of Evo and it better be filled with Remy-goodness. I'll make no secret of the fact that R & R are absolutely my favorite characters, and I do love them together because when their relationship is functional they just seem to be having so much fun together. I don't mind writing about the conflicted times, but my first love is always writing about the relaxed and fun couple who've always been so interesting to me. But since it's unlikely that anyone would want to read 60 pages of "Remy and Rogue go bowling" it's fun to adapt canon characters and situations. Hence the gargantuan size of the series so far.

**sphinx chick:** I think it's great that so many people love Pyro, given that a) in the comics, he's deader than the proverbial doornail; b) he's barely been in Evo at all (note: boo) and c) in the movie he...uh...the less said the better. Marvel should really bring him back from the dead and do more with him. Because he's one of those "bad guys" who's not actually so bad. Layers, dude, all about the layers. We will see about the sequel. I'm still a ways out from the end of this puppy, but I'm not averse. Since this pocket universe is my drug of choice. If I can dream up a plotline though, I'd say it's pretty darn certain that you'll see these guys again.


	10. x

Definitely one o' those "deer in th' headlights" moments. My eyes itched an' that made me realize that Ah'd forgotten ta blink for a good while. Nobody else in th' room was movin' either, but Anne was wearin' a smug smile that made me want ta do nothin' so bad as smack it off.

Ah grabbed Graydon by th' upper arm. "Lemme talk to ya for a second." He had a look on his face that made me think he was gonna say "no." Scramblin', Ah added a heartfelt, "Please?" at th' last possible moment.

"Okay." Th' words were barely outta his mouth before Ah was pullin' him into th' bedroom an' closin' th' door behind us.

"Sit," Ah ordered, pointin' at th' bed.

"Aye aye," he murmured, salutin' me lazily. "Before you blow things completely out of proportion..."

"Wait." Ah yanked open th' door an' found myself nose ta nose with John, who had th' good sense ta turn pink right ta th' roots o' his bright red hair. "Now's not th' time ta be listenin' at keyholes."

"C'mon, John." Kitty dragged him away an' Ah shut th' door again.

Graydon smiled gently. "He reminds me of you."

Ah put my hands on my hips. "Now's not th' time ta be meanderin' down memory lane." A pause. "An' he's nothin' like me!"

He did a poor job o' lookin' convinced. "Not now maybe, but he reminds me of what you used to be like. When we were kids."

Ah felt a quick stab o' regret at that. "Ah...Ah've never apologized. Mebbe there was somethin' Ah could've done. If Mystique'd just left ya with me an' Irene..."

"I'm not looking for sympathy from you. Or apologies. You were _six_, Rogue. I was _ten_. There's nothing that either of us could've done to help the other. Even though we both wanted to."

That threw me for a second. "Wait. Ya wanted ta help _me_? Why?"

Graydon closed his eyes an' swallowed hard. "Don't you see? You were the backup plan. If I turned out to be a dud...you were their second choice weapon. You would've been first. It was only because your power was too unpredictable." There was a kind o' sick feelin' in th' pit o' my stomach. Not that Ah didn't know Mystique was mostly always up ta no good, but that Irene should be involved.

There was a kind o' picture o' th' three of us Ah'd always held secret. Out on th' dim porch that smelled like honeysuckle in th' summers, fireflies in th' air, a slash o' butter yellow light on th' boards. Th' two women laughin' at somethin' Ah'd done. Holdin' each other for support. A breeze. Ah sat down hard on th' bed. Graydon stroked my back softly. "Ah didn't realize..."

Ah'd never thought ta wonder if those two laughin' women were honest. But there's nothin' ta say that ya cain't laugh and laugh an' be a villain. Least that's what Prince Hamlet's gettin' at Ah think.

"Don't go," Ah whispered, leanin' my head on Graydon's shoulder. My throat knotted. "Ya know they'll never want ya ta do anythin' good."

"But they want me," Graydon said. "They need me to be there. No one ever has. And Anne..."

"Stop it! Just stop! God." Ah pushed away from him. Outta reach o' his hands an' his sympathy. He was lullin' me into thinkin' his goin' back to the goddamned _Friends o' Humanity _was a good idea. "They don't want ya in any way that Mystique an' Victor _didn't_. Cain't ya see that you're a tool ta th' FOH too?"

"No."

"But..."

"No. I'm not. Not any more than you and Kitty were tools for Xavier. You don't know. But you're too smart not to realize that people are people and none of them are so black and evil. We just have different ideas."

Ah felt like someone'd just punched me hard in the stomach. Hear that's how Houdini died. Takin' one ta th' gut that he wasn't prepared ta deal with. "Why don't ya just tell me when _genocide_ is a good idea. How can ya even sit there an' say somethin' so horrible?"

"Because we should all band together with our 'kind'?" There was a deep anger in Graydon's voice. Deeper an' darker than that basement he'd been livin' in. Ah realized, with an awful lurch, how much he'd been right about th' house becomin' like him. His hurt seemed endless. An' Ah thought o' th' growlin' because that was inside him somewhere too. Suddenly Ah felt small an' scared an' freezin' cold. "Let me ask you something: do you think that you should have to be nice to other females because you're women and you need to band together?"

"Ah...that's not th' same..."

"Yes, it is. People are people, Rogue. Not all mutants are good mutants. And the bad ones are more dangerous than anything. You should know that better than most people."

"But that's no excuse for hate groups ta..."

"FOH isn't a hate group."

Ah tried ta laugh mockingly, but it just came out like a cough. "Ah think John'd tell a different story."

"Then I won't let it _stay_ a hate group," Graydon said steadily. "But you can't just let all these powers run unchecked."

"Who decides? You? Are ya gonna go ta every mutant in th' world an' decide if their powers are a danger ta normal people? Wasn't so long ago that ya were scared ta let th' FOH near us. Ah'd like ta know what's changed."

"Someone needs to step up. I can do it. No more hiding."

Th' way he said it, it was this awful, final thing. Made me want ta cry an' hit somethin' at th' same time. "So that's it? Ya go back and turn into their little mascot again?"

"Not anymore." He kissed my cheek softly an' unfolded himself from th' bed. Ah felt so numb. Ah couldn't do anythin', couldn't even look up when he shut th' door behind him. Only occurred ta me after that Ah'd taken in my powers almost automatically when he'd touched me. Folded 'em up into th' big, internal envelope he'd gone on about when he was teachin' me how ta suppress 'em. For once, without a collar or any special powers, someone who'd touched _me_ hadn't been in th' least bit o' danger. Even if there wasn't anythin' else, there'd always be that.

*** * ***

Graydon came out of de room alone, mouth set like he'd just come from a funeral.

"Y' jus' come from killing my girlfriend, _mec_ (man)? Why so serious?"

He barely looked at me, instead took Anne's hand. "Do you think they'll take me back?"

De girl looked a little dazed. She kept sneaking looks at her hand in his like she didn't quite believe dat was real. "I...I'm sure you can convince them." Her smile was shaky.

"What's wrong?"

"Things just seem...clearer now."

Occurred t' me for an awful split second dat he really _had_ done somet'ing t' Rogue. Shot a quick look at John and he angled his head, which I understood as shorthand for "Go on den." And glad dat I did. Because Rogue was sprawled out diagonal on our bed, shaking hard. Half expected t' hear sobs and so it was like watching a silent movie t' see her. Absolutely quiet. She raised her head when I came in.

"Shouldn't...cry so much, _chére_." But de last part of de sentence trailed off into not'ing. She _wasn't_ crying, although I'd be at a loss t' say exactly what de shaking had been exactly. No name t' it. Mebbe I should've known better. In truth, she'd cried so little since I'd known her. T'ings dat we'd seen and experienced dat would've broken her if she were someone else. Even so, could see dat she was trembling on dat knife blade of hysteria.

She held out her hands t' me. "Remy." _Dieu_. De way she said it. Been tangled wit' lots of people in my life. Girls and women and people halfway between de two distinctions. De way she said it made it seem like she was a cat lapping cream. No one ever said it quite _dat_ way before.

"Rogue, I t'ink we should talk 'bout..."

She looked angry and I knew I was pressing my luck. But I also knew how regrets can drive a wedge between people. Wasn't dat part of de reason Graydon couldn't see his way out of de FOH? He loved de feeling of being needed and in de end, it didn't matter so much what made dat feeling happen. At de time, remember, I didn't have any idea 'bout what he and Rogue had talked about.

"Don't ya think we talk too much sometimes?" she snapped. Den she seemed t' t'ink better of it and patted de spot next t' her on de bed. But I knew dat if I sat dere I'd be a goner for sure. Never said I was a saint, now did I? Moved closer. Considered de question.

"Yes, but I don't t'ink dat now is one of those times. Don't want t' do anyt'ing we'll regret."

"Ya sayin' ya'd regret...me?" Dis was dangerous stuff, no question.

"_Non_. Don't twist what I'm saying."

"What _are_ ya sayin'?"

"Dat mebbe..._Putain_ (fucking hell)! I don't know! Because dere's two ways t' look at de t'ing."

"Don't try ta take th' moral high road on this one, Remy LeBeau."

"Shouldn't we do somet'ing 'bout Graydon?"

Her face went gray and tired all of a sudden. "Like what? There's nothin'...ya...Ah tried so _hard_, but in th' end mebbe Ah couldn't convince him because Ah wasn't convinced myself? There used ta be two ways ta do everythin' -- Xavier's way an' Magneto's -- but then we made another way an' Graydon, he wants ta make another."

"Our way never involved killing people," I reminded her darkly.

"Graydon doesn't want his way ta do that either." Was close enough so she could reach out and tug at my sleeve. "We cain't say we're th' same as other people an' then stage these epic battles like we're above them. Like we're gods or somethin'."

Sighed. She had a point, but de issue was so complex. And my head hurt. And de bedroom was hot and stuffy. My t'oughts were moving slow like dey were underwater. "But dis has what t' do wit' us and de price of tea in China?" Sat down beside her.

"Ah cain't make decisions for Graydon. Ah won't. But Ah can make decisions for me." She slipped her hand under my collar. "Call it overcompensation."

"What about Graydon den?"

"Better ta let him go as a friend than have ta hunt him down as an enemy."

My mouth went dry. Her other hand was playing a miniature sonata on de inside of my elbow. I kissed her neck and sucked delicately just t' hear her gasp.

"What 'bout Kitty an' John? Dey're just waiting."

She laughed. "Ah think they'll just have ta figure things out for themselves, _neh_?" De way she said it made me t'ink we weren't exactly talking 'bout de same t'ing.

"Your accent is terrible."

"Why don't ya stop my mouth then?"

Grabbed her shoulders and held her out at arm's length. Could already see de sweat on her face. "Wouldn't want de strain t' kill y'." Wouldn't want her t' accidentally kill me either, but I was leaving dat lie for a while.

"God. Aren't ya just th' sheep in wolf's clothing? Ah've already got one mother an' she's more than Ah need right now."

Rogue sprang t' her feet, darted past me an' slammed de bathroom door.

Knocked, but she didn't answer. In de end, I pressed my forehead against de wood. We were so close. Close enough t' make me shiver wit' anticipation. But I wondered if we'd end up killing each other before anyt'ing could really happen.

*** * ***

**Chrissie:** I understand. Summertime = vacations all around. Y'know, after seeing "Dark Horizon" 1 & 2 I've come to a couple conclusions. #1. I like my Pyro MUCH better than Evo's Pyro. Because someone can be sort of batshit insane and not intensely annoying. #2. I love snarky!Remy. When he suggested that Sabretooth and Wolvie should stop arguing about whose...nose was bigger and just follow the TRACKS IN THE SNOW already? I wiped away a tear. Good stuff.

**Letanica:** I also hear that Remy and Piotr are going to defect to the X-men this season while St. John joins the Brotherhood. Sigh. I guess I don't really mind too much about Piotr, it's just that I find him...dull.

**Yumiko:** Ah, I see you didn't read my: I'm going to Scandinavia disclaimers two parts previous. That's what took me so long. Blame...uh...Norway I guess. I made no such cookie promises! Also, I am a craptastic baker. Don't have the patience (or talent, really). However, I make a mean veggie teryaki stir-fry...

**Ryoko Subaru and Susannah:** More R+R-ness ahoy. And angst. Something about the pairing invites it. But they have...more positive aspects too, which is why I keep writing about them.

**Panther Nesmith:** ESPECIALLY when stupid angsty plot bunnies are out of the complete middle of nowhere. I love Rogue, but I think she was kinda bitchy in that instance. Not her best side, what with dumping her boyfriend in the middle of nowhere. Leaving someone for dead is NOT the way you show love. Boo. I'm afraid to ask, but did the romyness break your brain last chapter?

**ishandahalf:** Maniacal laughter is good for any occasion. I've yet to perfect the art. And here's hoping you survived without FF.net. Or are reading this from your new home in the underworld. I'm sure there's internet access in the afterlife. There just has to be.

**Christy S:** Yeah, I was in an uncharacteristically wuvvy dovey mood when I wrote the last chapter. This one...less so. I was in a "let's look at the other side of the coin, shall we?" mood. I've always thought that Rogue's powers are SO chaotic that any effort at control would have to be a struggle.

**ladychopsticks:** Oh, I always get around to this eventually. And it'll get finished sooner rather than later. Scout's honor. Even though I was never a scout.

**Lace123:** I meant it to be confusing. At least from Remy's POV. And I wanted it to be somewhat of a surprise, which is really frelling hard to do in a first person narrative. Sigh. Shoulda thought of these things sooner rather than after the fact. Guess that's why god made my hair reddish blondish brown. I have a take on Anne, but that'll hopefully come out later. Although, you know me, I like to keep some things to myself.


	11. epilogue

_This is how the world ends. This is how the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper._

Yeats was onto somethin', except for th' part where th' world _doesn't_ end. Nothin' is so terrible that ya cain't claw your way back. Graydon an' Anne were gone. Nothin' we could do an' Ah didn't think for a second that we'd never see them again. He'd kissed my cheek an' hugged me tightly. Called me "sister" an' that'd been it. _She'd_ slid out th' same way she'd come in. Pale, paler than paper. Those wide, brown eyes hatin' us all. We were all just funhouse reflections of her own self-hatred, but knowin' that didn't make her any easier ta take.

Remy an' Ah hadn't talked about what'd happened between us that evenin'. Everythin' was equal parts embarrassment an' frustration so thick Ah could barely breathe past it. Ah chewed th' side o' a fingernail an' tucked my legs up on th' couch.

Tryst was a happy compromise from th' padded room we'd all needed at one point or another. A room littered with mismatched couches. Ah did my best ta relax an' let th' bustle an' clink o' th' coffeehouse fold over my head. Remy sat on th' other end o' th' couch. Even though my control was improvin' steadily, he hadn't touched me since that night. John an' Kitty were across from us. Hands flutterin'. They'd touch, startle, separate, touch. Whatever it was between 'em felt real fragile, but kind o' miraculous at th' same time. But Kitty hadn't mentioned it ta me again. An' Ah felt like Ah'd barely spoken ta John in weeks except ta exchange a little empty banter. Sighed an' leaned my head back against th' couch.

"Penny for 'em," John's voice cut in softly. So soft Ah jumped, thinkin' mebbe Ah'd imagined it. But when Ah looked up at him, he dropped a wink an' grinned in his old way that made my chest feel tight an' funny. Ah swallowed hard.

"Not worth it. Just thinkin'. That's all."

"Penny isn't much either, sweetheart, is it then?"

"Ah..." Slid a sideways glance at Remy. "Ah was just wonderin' if things'll ever be like they were before."

John looked uncomfortable. He knit his hands together an' stared hard at 'em. "Dunno what t' tell ya, love. It's not really up t' me."

Ah reached out an' touched Remy's knee with th' tips o' my fingers. He jumped like he'd been stung by somethin' particularly big an' nasty.

"I'm gonna go find our waiter, okay?" Kitty said. It was a well-known fact that waiters at Tryst had fully mastered th' art o' never bein' around when ya needed 'em. "C'mon, John." She tugged at his hand.

"You can bloody well go yourself, love." She kicked him in th' ankle. John rolled his eyes. "Never send a woman ta do a man's work." That earned him another kick. "Careful with the merchandise!"

"I keep forgetting you're such a, like, delicate little flower."

"Low blow."

"Come _on_." She pulled on his arm again. "While we're all still young."

John groaned dramatically an' climbed to his feet. Only both o' them looked at me in a way that was worried and mebbe a little scared. They didn't understand what'd happened. Ah didn't really. All Ah knew was that what was happenin' between Remy an' me felt a little like somethin' was breakin' up. Not that we were. At least Ah hoped not. It was more like th' crackin' that came in springtime, when th' thick ice over lakes and ponds would groan an' everythin' was startin' th' long process o' shakin' off th' winter coat.

"Dat boy's not de brightest crayon in de box, _hein_?"

Ah jumped. Remy's voice was right in my ear. Low an' a little bit rough. Crumpled silk. Ah turned so fast we bumped noses. "Remy...what..."

"Shhh." He touched a finger ta my lips. "Been t'inking 'bout t'ings: Graydon and Anne and John and Kitty."

"And me?" Ah whispered past his finger.

His eyebrows went up. "_Sans doute_ (of course)." A pause. "What d' we do now?"

Ah lifted his hand from my mouth. "Do?"

"Now dat Graydon's gone. De Friends of Humanity..."

"...will be back. Ya cain't believe they won't." Ah fought th' urge ta lower my eyes an' forced myself ta say what'd been weighin' on my mind. "Ah thought ya hated me. Everythin' was so weird..."

Instead o' sayin' anythin' right away, he hugged me tightly. It was awkward, no question, Ah was angled across th' couch with my cheek crushed against his chest. It was good medicine. He smelled like th' custom-made cologne from Bourbon Street: spicy with a tang like cut grass. Ah pressed my hands against his back.

"Ah know it was a horrible thing ta do. Everythin' was confused..."

He took my shoulders, holdin' me loose then, like Ah was th' most breakable thing in th' world. Th' room was spinnin' a little. "What d' we do know?" There was a whisper o' desperation in th' question th' second time.

"Th' sun rises an' sets. We work an' sleep an' eat. Tell jokes, philosophize. Pay rent. Try not ta let John an' Kitty bully us into havin' sushi more than once a month. We find a bigger apartment."

Remy frowned. "We sleep together."

My mouth went dry. He kissed me before Ah really knew what was happenin'. "Kitty should go back ta Xavier's. Bad enough that th' three of us aren't goin' ta school."

Remy shrugged. That pretty, elegant motion that could drive me ta distraction an' drive me crazy at th' same time. "T'ink dat we shouldn't decide dat for her." We were quiet for a bit, watchin' Kitty an' John from across th' room. He was leanin', one elbow against th' counter. Her hands wove in th' air, punctuatin' somethin' she was sayin'. A group o' people passed between us an' them, cuttin' 'em off from our sight.

"About...well...Ah thought ya didn't...Ah mean, Ah don't want ta hurt ya."

"I trust y' not to." He said it so plainly, with a hint o' shock. A warm feelin' coiled in my stomach. Spreadin' everywhere. "What might hurt is t'inking dat y' didn't mean it." Happiness was risin' inside me. Ah bit my lip ta keep it in an' rested one hand on Remy's thigh. His fingers dug into my shoulders. "Don't t'ink dis is exactly de place," he warned. Th' glint in his eye told me Ah was gonna pay later. An' that Ah'd most likely enjoy th' hell outta it.

Th' crowd parted an' Ah could see Kitty an' John walkin' towards us. The routine was th' same as before: touch, startle, separate, touch. Remy's hand was tangled in my hair, massaging gently. Ah didn't know what was goin' ta happen. _Omnia mutantur_ -- everythin' changes. _Nihil interit_ -- nothin' dies. When he kissed my neck his lips were warm on my skin. Everythin' important that exists has a small beginnin'.

**end**

*******

That's it. That's all. The end. Huge thanks to everyone who read this despite my increasingly-erratic updating. I've no doubt that y'all haven't heard the last from me. Just let me get some of this season's Evo under my belt.

**aro**: Thank you! Also, good point about Evo!Pyro. Bleh. Maniacal laughter is _not_ a character trait. Evo!Remy OTOH...I like. He's snarky.

**Panter Nesmith**: The summer broke my brain too! Probably because it won't. stop. raining. (glares at sky) I do not know if this conclusion increases or decreases your frustration levels, but here it is for good or ill.

**anda**: Awwww. That's so nice! And here we are at the final installment too. I'm unsure if this arc gets to continue or if I'll start over with something new. Any thoughts? (anyone? Bueller?)

**Lace123**: Why do I get the feeling that people are going to be shocked that this was the last chapter? I wanted to end in an understated way I think. This made a lot of sense to me. Hopefully it will make sense to you.

**kulerka**: Apologies to the Lancitty fans, because I like Lance too. The Kitty/John-ness is fun to write. Very different from R-R-ness, but in a good way.

**Yumiko**: Veggie teriyaki stir-fry -- loads of veggies sauteed with teriyaki sauce. Mmmm. Tasty. I can do some fun stuff with tofu? Spinach? ummm...eggplant? (you can tell I'm a vegetarian, right?)

**ishandahalf**: Because there are a zillion fics on FF.net. Which would be just fine and dandy like sour candy if I felt like the search engine function was super helpful. Meh.

**Drumming-Femme**: Yeah too bad my Pyro isn't Evo's. Or that Evo's Pyro has one emotion and that's "crazy". Because I love them together. Remy totally needs friends. Keeps him from getting all broody.

**Ruby-servantof-eli**: I can understand though. Because comfort-sex isn't necessarily the best sex, or without complications and regrets. Because I love that Remy has a conscience even though he pretends like he doesn't. Make-up sex on the other hand...


End file.
